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HEAYEl^, EARTH, 



AND THE 



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MILLENNIUM. 



And God called the fiemament Heayej^-.— G^e?i. i. 8. 



BY 

JAMES A. ' S P IJ R L O C K 

A Member of the Missouri Ba/r. 



W. J. GILBERT, PUBLISHER, 

NO. 209 NORTH FOURTH STREET, ST. LOUTS, MO. 

Trade Supplied by 
St. Louis Book and Nhws Co. American News Co., of Now York. 

Central Nrws C)., of l^hila. New England News Co., of Boston. 






Entered accordiug to Act of Congrees, on the 11th day of Jam^ary. 186*>, by 
James A. Spurlock, in the Clerk's ofl3ce of the District Court of tha UnltcJ 
States, at Jefiereon City, for the Western District of Missonii. 



Stereotyped by Steassburger & Dhacii, 
St. Louis, Mo. 



MO. BBPUBLICAi: PBINT. 



PREFACE. 



In presenting this small book to the public, I claim 
that it contains a correct key to the motions of the 
heavenly bodies which will in the future become the 
basis of all true astronomy and philosophy of the 
movements of the heavenly bodies. My theories of 
heat, cold, and the seasons^ will bo established by 
the practical tests of science. 

Perhaps I owe the religious world an apology for 
the plain manner iji which I have assailed their creeds 
and ceremonies. These have been the subjects of so 
much strife, dissension, and cavil, and militate so 
directly against Gospel truth, that I have con- 
demned them as heresies and idolatries. In doing 
80 I do not question the sincerity of any church, 



iv Preface. 

minister or person^ nor have I written in the inter- 
est of any. 1 belong to no church organization and 
have no partiality for any, and highly approbate the 
efforts of all. 

As to my views of the ^Millennium; I have ap- 
pended them to interest the reader^ and at the same 
time silence the croakings of false prophets. 
Respectfully, 

JAMES A, SPUELOCK. 

Vessailles. jIo., January 8. 1869 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION. 



BEMARKS — GOD — THE CREATIOIN" — THE BIBI.E — AUTHOS S POSI- 
TIONS— XATUBE OF EARTH— OF THE FLESH— RESUERECTIOX 
— GRiiDES LNT HEAVE:S' — WORKS STAIMPED ON US — GOLDEN 
RUDE THE TRUE RELIGION— GOD'S DMPARTIALITY— MILLEN- 
NIUM!— SCIENCE 



CHxiPTER II. 

THE CREATION. 



GRANDEUR AND KI3IEN3ITY OF HEAVEN — E:MBRACE3 THE UNI- 
VERSE — NATURE OF GOD — WRITINGS OF 3I0SES — MAN AN OUT- 
CAST FROM HEAVEN— SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE— STRIFE OF 
EARTH— NATURE OF ANGELS— OF HEAVEN— GRADES IN 
HEAVEN — ALL TO BE RESLTIRECTED- NATURE OF THE CE- 
LESTIAL BODIES— UNIFORMITY OF GOD'S LAWS— GLORY OF 
HEAVEN— DISCOVERY OF THE CENTRIFUGAL POWER THAT 
SUSTAINS THE HEAVENLY BODIES IN THEIR ORBITS, ETC. — 
THE SAME EXPLAINED — POWER OF LIGHT — ^REFLECTED LIGHT 
— DIFFERENT QUALITIES OF — A PRODUCER OF IVLITTER — A 
BEAUTIFIER — COMETS — SECOND AND ' THIRD HEAVENS — 
CHRIST A POWERFUL PHILOSOPHER — FINE NATURE OF THB 
PLANETS— OUR ATMOSPHERE THB CAUSE OF ALL OUR ILLS. .. 21 



vi ^ Contents. 

CHAPTER. III. 

THE EARTH. 

ITS CHEATION— ITS FOBM AIsTD BEYOLUTIOi^-S— THE BEGI^TSTKO — 
ITS CUBSE — CREATION OF MA2? — STRIFS OF EARTH CAUSED 
BY OUR AT3I03PHERE— ALL THE ILLS OF EARTH ASCRTBABLE 
TO IT — FIRE — HEAT — COLD — STRIFE OF XATUEE — XEW THEO- 
RY OF THE SEASON'S— LIFE— DEATH— TRITE CO>T)ITIOX OF 
THE EARTH A2n> ITS LN-HABITANTS- THJILR FALLEN CONDI- 
TION—THEIR EVIL NATURE— GOD'S m?^ RTIAL ADMINISTRA- 
TION—NO SPECIAL PROVIDENCES — THE EARTH FORSAKEN OF 
'GOD AND THE ANGELS — THE LAW OF GOD — CHRIST. HIS NA- 
TURE AND TEACHINGS — MISERIES OF EARTH AND THEIR 
CAUSE — FOB^^IER TyHLLENNIUMS 91 

CHAPTER IV. 

MAX. 

HIS ORIGIN— THE GARDEN OF EDEN— THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT — 
HIS FALL— HIS EFFORTS TO PLEASE GOD — HIS PRAYERS— 
HIS RELIGION— HIS IDOLATRY — THE GOLDEN RULE THE TRUE 
GOSPEL — ^THE FOLLY OF PUBLIC PRAYER — OF CEREMONIES — 
PERVERSION OF GOSPEL TRUTH — FALSE TEACHERS — BIGOTS 
— OFFENCES AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST — HIS FAITH IN GOD — 
HIS DEATH AND BURIAL 158 

CHAPTER Y. 

THE RESURRECTION. 

REMARKS— NOT SPECIAL BUT GENERAL — EFFECTED BY NA- 
TURAL LAWS— CO^IBINED POWERS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH 
EFFECT IT — EVIDENCES OF IT— CERTAINTY OF IT— TRANSMI- 



Contents. vii 

GRATIOW^OF SOULS ON EARTH DEFIED— EXAMPLES— VEGETA- 
TION — ANIMAL LIFE — CONSCIOUSNESS — DREAMING — INNATE 
KNOWLEDGE OF IT— ABUNDANT LIFE OF EARTH — ABUNDANT 
LIFE OF HEAVEN — THE JUDGMENT — THE REWARDS — THE 
GOOD— THE EVIL— GK)D'S BENEVOLENCE — HIS MERCY— HIS 
PROVISION FOR ALL c 221 

CHAPTER VL 

THE MILLENNIUM. 

ITS OCCURRENCE— ITS COURSE— STRIFE OF EARTH TO BE FIRST 
SUBDUED — THE WAY PREPARED BY A CELESTIAL BODY — 
BINDING OF SATAN— PEACE OF EARTH— SECOND ADVENT— 
THE GOSPEL TRUTH AGAIN PREACHED— PASSAGE OF THE 
CELESTIAL VISITANT AND DISAPPEARANCE OF CHRIST AND 
HIS ANGELS — SATAN UNBOUND — THE WORLD AFTERWARDS — 
FORMER MILLENNIUMS- BIBLE PROOFS — MYSTERIES OP 
HEAVEN REVEALED — TIME OF IT UNKNOWN — ^ALL PROPHECY 
FAIi3E AS TO THE TIME • • ....••. 269 



HEAVEN, EARTH, AND THE MILLENNIUM. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

BEMARKS — GOD— THE CREATION — THE BIBLE — AFTIIOR'S POSITIONS 
—NATURE OF EARTH— OF THE FLESH— RESURRECTION— GRADES 
IN HEAVEN— WORKS STAJMPED ON US— GOLDEN RULE THE TRUE 
RELIGION — god's EMPARTIAUTY — JillLLENNIUM — SCIENCE. 

U]3on a careful survey of the heavens, aU 
rational beings are forced to acknowledge that 
there is an omnipotent God who has created 
the heavens and the earth ; but liow and wlien 
are the most perplexing questions that ever 
presented themselves to the human mind. 
Where does the all-powerful Architect reside, 
what is the nature of His existence, and in 
what portion of His immense structure does he 
€njoy His labors and give laws to countless 
millions of worlds? From whence issue the 
2 



10 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

edicts governing the mighty hosts of heaven^ 
and the beings who inhabit the same ? What 
causes the pain, desire, toil, misery, strife, and 
death, inflicted on that part of His creation 
known as earth — this world which we inhabit. 

Mankind in all ages have been prone to have 
these questions solved ; but few^, however wise 
and learned, inspired or prophetic, have at- 
tempted a solution of them. They have been 
content to acknowledge the existence of the 
vast creation surrounding them, and trace and 
ferret out the never-changing laws which gov- 
ern the universe; but in what manner or by 
what means, and at what time or times, thi^ 
omnipotent task was performed or accomplish- 
ed, or where the mighty Creator lives, or in 
what portion of His domain He exerts his lim- 
itless power, has been, and is, a mystery to the 
mortals of the earth. 

In this work I propose to give my views on 
these matters as succinctly as possible, and 
in language that will be understood by all^ 
learned and unlearned, young and old ; and in 
doing so, let me inform the reader that it is no 



Earthy and tTie Millennium, 11 

part of my design to interfere with the teach- 
ings of the Bible or the doctrines of Christi- 
anity, and it is still further from my design to 
interfere with the doctrines of any religions 
denomination.; but that I expect to treat the 
subject freely and truthfully. I maintain that 
religion and the Gospel are nothing more than 
truth, and that the teachings of any book or 
sect, if in accordance with truth, is Gospel and 
religion ; and if contrary to truth, that it is of 
earth, and has no divinity whatever, and is not 
to have the sanction of our judgment. 

I acknowledge the moral precepts of the 
Bible, and the divinity of Jesus Christ; in 
fact, I look to the teachings of David, Moses, 
and the prophets, and of Christ and his apos- 
tles, for much of the philosophy which I shall 
advance ; and wiiile there is no moral precept 
in the Bible that I am not cheerfully willing 
to sanction, and even be judged by, yet I must 
confess that there are some mere historical 
matters in it which are by no means intelligi- 
ble to me, and which cannot be reconciled 
with truth and other teachings of the Book. 



12 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

But these apparent inconsistencies have 
nothing to do with either the present or future 
of man. Our whole duty to God and our fel- 
low-creatures of earth is so plainly set forth in 
the Bible that none, however ignorant, need 
err. 

I shall endeavor to prove in this short work 
that there is an all- wise, omnipotent, and infin- 
ite creator, called God; that He is the Chief 
Architect and Governor of the whole universe ; 
that He governs the same by laws just, uni- 
form, and forever unchangeable ; and, conse- 
quently, shall deny special providences or par- 
tiality in His administration. I shall endeavor 
to demonstrate that all His creation is good, 
and the enjoyments thereof all-enduring, ex- 
cept earth, mankind, and the creatures of 
earth ; that desire, pain, toil, misery, and death, 
exist nowhere but on this earth; and that 
man's transgression is the cause of his own 
misery and death, and so of all the creatures 
-of the earth. I deny that the creatures of earth 
are suffering for Adam's transgression, and 
shall contend that they are suffering for their 



Earthy and the Millennium, lo 

own sins, of like nature with Adam's, and that 
the earth is the sphere in which they must 
repent and be regenerated through carnal 
death, and thus restored to heaven. 

I contend that the earth is accursed of God, 
and not visited by Him or His angels, from the 
fact that all its elements are in a state of strife 
and war, and not suitable to be visited by holy 
beings ; that the mortality or flesh of the earth 
is synonymous with the term ''satan" or 
''devil," and the spirits of which have once 
enjoyed a pure and holy estate in heaven, and 
will again, by force of God's immutable laws, 
in some state, however degraded and humble, 
or however excellent and exalted, this to be 
determined by their own conduct; that we are 
endowed with the spirit of God, and possess 
most of the reasoning powers of angels, though 
condemned in the flesh, and to the flesh ; that 
this spirit and reason is the gift of God, and is 
indestructible, and cannot, and will not, ever 
die, that this spirit and reason continually 
admonish us of our lost condition, and point 
us the way to heaven, our proper abode ; that 



14 A FTiilosojpTty of Heaven^ 

they inherentl}' have and teach the coramand- 
ments of God, and plamly and imploringly 
urge us to the strict performance of onr duty 
to God and man and the creatures of earth; 
that our corporeal bodies are of earth, and are 
continually prompting us to deeds of evil and 
sin ; that a separation between soul and body 
occurs under certain defined laws of nature; 
that these very laws have power to, and will, 
resurrect and exalt to heaven all creatures of 
earth having the spirit of God within them; 
and that the spirit of man, when released 
from, its carnal abode, takes its flight to its 
Creator, where it receives a reward suitable 
to its merits or demerits on earth. 

I will not teach that a small, limited space 
is heaven, but will endeavor to show that it 
embraces the whole boundless universe ; that 
the whole starry firmament above and around 
us is heaven, and that it possesses the power 
to give life, to destroy temporal things, and to 
resurrect the souls of every creature of earth 
to a pure and better existence than earth af- 
fords ; that this power will resurrect all crea- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 



15 



tures of earth that have ever existed in the 
past, that now exist, or that will exist in the 
future ; that there is no necessity for any crea- 
ture of earth, however small or insignificant, 
to be lost for want of ability to resurrect or 
room to protect and accommodate it; that Grod 
in His beneficence and omnipotence has pro- 
vided, and will eternally provide, for all His 
creatures. 

I shall contend that there are grades in 
heaven, and that every creature of earth will 
in the resurrection be assigned to a place and 
rank in heaven suited and appropriate to its 
work and conduct in life ; that this reward is 
given and place assigned immediately on the 
death of the creature, and that this reward de- 
pends on the performance of the duties which 
God has plainly dictated to all, civilized and 
enlightened, heathen and pagan. 

I contend that our conduct on earth towards 
our fellow-man, God, and His creatures, will 
as efi*ectually and thoroughly stamp our rank 
and character in heaven, as the founder's pat- 
terns stamp impressions on his wares; that 



16 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

this is so effectually done that there can be na 
deception in heaven; and that the least in 
heaven might jndge the soul in the resurrec- 
tion as accurately as a mathematician can 
solve a simple problem, and this without the 
aid and despite of prayer and rituals. 

I further maintain that there are only two 
Gospel commands : first, supreme love to God ; 
second, to love our neighbor as ourself. These 
include the Golden Rule, and should include 
all the spiritual teachings of the ministry. 
They are the substance of the Gospel and reli- 
gion, while all forms of worship and ceremo- 
nies of the churches are mere shadows, and 
are apt too often to lead away from the per- 
formance of plain religious duties ; and when 
they really do so, they become not only repre- 
hensible, but degrading and damnable in their 
nature. Hence I condemn the doctrines of 
men, and teach a strict observance of the 
Golden Rule, from the cradle to the grave, as 
the only means of obtaining any excellent 
estate in heaven. 

Our reward in heaven will depend entirely 



L 1 



Earthy and the Millennium, 17 

on the performance of the various duties im- 
posed upon us by the exigencies of this rule^ 
and this without the aid of prayer or ceremo- 
nies. In other words, we must perform this 
great mandate of heaven, both to God and to 
man, and to the creatures of earth, and not 
trust to prayer and ceremonies for an acquit- 
tance from its duties. 

Our Creator's laws are positive and un- 
changeable, and are also just and perfect, and 
His administration of them the most impartial ; 
and they cannot, and will not, and should not, 
be relaxed on the supplication of any. They 
will not be suspended in their operation for 
any, however pious and excellent ; and a per- 
son might as well endeavor to gain an exalted 
state in heaven by legerdemain or slight-of- 
hand as to gain it by the performance of ritu- 
als and ceremonies, or by prayer or confes- 
«ions, without the performance of the Golden 
Rule and the religious duties it requires to be 
performed. 

By our works or fruits we must be known ; 
and our works or fruits, or deeds done in the 



18 A PMlosopTiy of Heaven^ 

body while on earth, will be so indelibly 
stamped upon ns, or placarded on our future 
existence in heaven, that God, nor His angels, 
nor the least of His creatures, can be deceived 
by us. 

The deeds or works themselves are the means 
of judgment, and are only to be observed and 
noticed by the powers of heaven. As well might 
-a goat pretend that he was an ox, or a dog 
that he was a horse, as for an extortioner to 
pretend that he was a benevolent man, in- 
clined to love and charity ; or the hypocrite to 
pretend that he was a sincere, well-meaning 
Christian. All deceptions are impossible, for 
our works will show for themselves, either to 
our honor and glory, or to our degradation and 
shame. 

The world which we inhabit is one of strife, 
sin, pain, and death, and was so designed by 
the Creator. Heaven is pure, sublime, glori- 
ous, and the never-ending, all-abounding, and 
eternal abode of God and all His creatures. 

The whole heavens are free to the righteous 
and elect of God, but the higher estates are 



Earthy and tlie Millennium, 19 

accessible only to few, and these few will be 
those who have obeyed His commandments in 
humility, and have not been found wanting in 
deeds of love and charity while sojourning on 
earth. Many expecting these higher estates will 
fall short of their enjoyment, and doubtless 
many an humble soul will find itself unexpect- 
edly rewarded with them. 

I propose, further, to show that the waj^ of 
the Millennium, or the second advent of Christ 
and the angels of heaven on earth, is to be 
prepared by dispelling strife, pain, hunger, 
thirst, sin, desire, and death, from the earth, 
and that this will be accomplished by the ap- 
pearance and passage of a heavenly body in 
its regular orbit, more magnificent and lumin- 
ous (from its proximity to our earth) than the 
sun, and which will for the time so overcome 
the efl'ects of the sun and the elements of 
earth, as to produce peace and serenity on the 
wliole earth, during which Christ and the an- 
gels of heaven can visit the earth, and promul- 
gate the Gospel of Truth ; and that from these 
millennial events the Ancients derived their 



20 



A PliilosopTiy of Hea^en^ 



knowledge of the creation of the heavens and 
the earth, and of the fall of man. 

In the meantime, I expect to advance an en- 
entirely new doctrine of the i3hilosophy of 
heat, cold, and the seasons, and also of the 
motions of the heavenly bodies. In this I will 
show that light (or the sunbeams of heaven) is 
one of the most powerful elements of the heav- 
ens ; that by its power ponderous worlds are 
supported and driven in their orbits. Tiie pri- 
mary planets are driven by the light of the 
sun around which the r revolve, and the secon- 
dary planets, such as the moon, &c., are driven 
around the earth and other primary planets 
by means of reflected lioht and the light of 
the sun. I expect to show conclusively that 
the light of the sun causes the earth and other 
planets to revolve on their own axis, producing 
day and night ; also, that heat and cold exist 
only on the earth, and are but properties of 
our own atmosphere. 

As to the nature of God, it would be pre- 
sumptuous for benighted man to speak of it. I 
shall, therefore, confine myself to results or 



4 



Eartli, and the Millennium, 



31 



eftects, and leave the reader to form Ins own 
idea of God's existence and abode ; for if we 
should see Him every day, our senses are too 
imperfect to recognize Him or the nature of 
His existence. 



CHAPTER H. 

THE CREATION. 

GRANDEUR AND IMMENSITY OF HEAVEN — EMBRACES THE UNTVEBSE 
— NATURE OF GOD— WRITINGS OF M03E3— MAN AN OUTCAST FROM 
HEAVEN— SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE— STRIFE OF EARTH— NATURE 
OF ANGELS — OF HEAVEN — GRADES IN HEAVEN — ALL TO BE RES- 
URRECTED — NATURE OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES— UNIFORMITY 
OF god's LAWS — GLORY OF HEAVEN — DISCOVERY OF THE CEN- 
TRIFUGAL POWER THAT SUSTAINS THE HEAVENLY EODIES IN 
THEIR ORBITS, ETC. — THE SAME EXPLAINED — POWER OF LIGHT 
— REFLECTED LIGHT — DIFFERENT QUALITIES OF — A PRODUCER 
OF MATTER— A BEAUTIFIER—COIvIETS— SECOND AND THIRD HEAV- 
ENS — CHRIST A POWERFUL PHILOSOPHER— FINE NATURE OF THE 
PLANETS— OUR ATMOSPHERE THE CAUSE OF ALL OUR ILLS. 

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament 
sheweUi His handiwork. 

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night shew- 
<jth knowledge.— Pav^c^. 

The grandeur and sublimity of the starry 
heavens have in all ages attracted the atteii- 



32 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

tion of mankind. Even the untutored savage 
beholds this sublimity and grandeur, and will- 
ingly admits the existence of a Supreme Be- 
ing who created them. 

That heaven exists is a truth that needs no 
inspiration to prove, nor any prophet to teach. 
The fact is patent, and heaven is visible to 
every mortal eye, though the sight be carnal 
and the creature doomed to death. Heaven is 
spread out before and around us in one vast 
and eternal ocean of light, truth, architecture, 
and grandeur. Go and survey the same any 
starry night when it is not obscured by the 
misty clouds of the earth, or veiled by the 
glory of the sun, and behold a portion of its 
extent and sublimity ! There is no mistake in 
the scene. The carnal eyesight is liable to be 
deceived, we must admit, but there is no more 
deception in this view than there is of our 
earthly existence ; the one is just as patent as 
the other. 

There are hundreds of globes and spheres, 
in some measure resembling this earth, that 
present themselves to our naked eyesight ; and 



Earthy and the Millennium, 23 

when the eye is armed with the aid of power- 
ful telescopic instruments, thousands of others 
appear still farther in the distant heavens. 
Many of these, without doubt, are hundreds 
of times larger than our earth, and some are 
smaller. They exist of every conceivable size, 
and are suited to every want, are adapted 
to every enjoyment, and exist indefinitely 
throughout the boundlessness of space. 

Look through the vista of nature to the 
ranges of enormous suns, planets and spheres, 
wheeling and revolving through an immensity 
of space under laws the most perfect, uniform, 
and unchangeable, and ask : Who made these ? 
who spake them into existence ? where is that 
Being all-powerful enough to control the mo~ 
tions of that wonderful machinery ? where are 
the boundaries of this heavenly scene ? where 
are the foundations? when was this vast pan- 
orama made and spread out, and when was it 
put in motion? when was the time they did 
not exist ? how did things appear before their 
existence ? 

Tiiese are questions that lind no solution in 



24 A PJiilosopJip of Heaven^ 

the powers of earth or the rnind of man ; yet 
we must admit they have a solution, for there 
is certainly no effect without a cause, and 
these great results or effects as certainly have 
a cause as any other matter in existence, and 
that cause is God and the powers of heaven. 

The omnipotent Grod who created the heav- 
€is and earth has, for just reasons, no doubt, 
concealed many of its mysteries from our view 
and comprehension ; and as to many of the 
laws of nature, we are in a world of darkness. 
That is, man on earth is shorn of many of his 
faculties, among which is spiritual sight, and 
therefore cannot see God and the hosts of 
heaven ; but that is no more evidence that He 
and His angels do not exist than that the race 
of men on earth does not exist — because an 
infant in its mother's womb cannot see and 
understand the nature of man and his actions 
on earth. The time is rapidly drawing near, 
and is just at hand, we may say, when we will 
become the children of light, through death 
and the resurrection, and will see and know 
the Author of all this vast work. We are now 



Earth, and the Millennium, 25 



in the flesh and in spiritual darkness ; we will 
then be regenerated, and the vail which now 
enshrouds us in spiritual darkness will "be 
lifted, and then we can behold God and His 
angels in their majesty and omnipotency, to- 
gether with our redeemed and regenerated 
friends who have preceded us on earth. 

As to the nature of the God of Heaven, we 
know from observation that He is omnipotent, 
^11- wise, just, impartial, all-enduring, benevo- 
lent, immutable, eternal, without beginning or 
end. As to His shape or form, the Bible in- 
forms us that man was created in the image of 
God ; consequently. He must be in the human 
shape. The Spirit of God is omnipoi4*rt — His 
being or body is not. The devil exists in the 
flesh of earth, but God does not exist in the 
same manner in the spirits of heaven. The 
devil or satan is a creature, but God is a 
Creator, having visible form, functions and 
powers. We do not see what we term the 
^'devil" here on earth, yet he is here. If God, 
however, were here, the whole mortality of 
earth would be cognizant of the fact and see 



26 A PhilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

His l)ody and form. Tliough that body and 
form is of a nature unknown to us, yet it is in 
power, excellence, and grandeur. His power 
is exerted by His spirit and by the light of 
heaven. His biddings must be performed by 
the whole universal powers of heaven. His 
spirit animates us all, and to that extent He is 
omnipresent. Moses tells us that God created 
man in His own image. Some, however, per- 
sist that the writings of Moses need corrobora- 
tion, and in some respects they may, as his 
narrative of the creation and events of early 
history are necessarily brief and figurative. 
But in this respect it may be safely affirmed 
that he needs none, for the assertion is posi- 
tive ; and Moses and the ancients certainly 
had revelations from God and His angels, 
which I shall hereafter endeavor to show were 
given to them through former millennial events^ 
when the gospel of truth was taught and ex- 
hibited to mankind in its purity — and that 
Moses' account of receiving the commandments 
of God is a figure of a former millennium. 
Our carnal sight is subject to delusion — 



Earthy and the Millennmm. 27 

spiritual sight is not. We see and know that 
the vast immensity of heaven exists, and that 
it conld not have been made for the sole com- 
fort and edification of the corrupt and fleeting 
mortality of earth, without any chance for the 
creatures of earth to obtain its enjoyments. 
We know that we have no chance to enjoy 
heaven while on earth, except it may be the 
rays and light of the same. Could such a vast 
creation have been made merely as an aux- 
iliary of the earth ? Not by any means. This 
earth in bulk or size is quite insignificant 
compared to many of the heavenly bodies, 
such as the sun and fixed stars ; and the better 
opinion would seem to be, that this earth which 
we inhabit is merely an auxiliary to the heav- 
ens. That is, it was designed and made as 
part of the heavens, and that it is the only 
part of Grod's creation laboring under His dis- 
pleasure and curse. This is the teaching of 
Moses, and this is so very reasonable that he 
needs no corroboration in that assertion, for 
God in His omnipotence could make a par- 
adise as easily as a hell, and did so ; but by 



28 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

reason of insnibordination in lieaven, the eartli 
was accnrsed that insubordination might be 
punished. Hence the strife, sin, disease, pain, 
hunger, thirst, misery, and death, on earth. 
These are the results of man's transgression, 
and he and all creatures of earth have been 
cast out from heaven to earth, to atone for 
their deeds ; and are to be regenerated through 
death, and again admitted into heaven, and 
rewarded according to the deeds done in the 
flesh while on earth, whether they be good or 
evil. In this assertion I am corroborated by 
the teachings of Jesus Christ to Mcodemus — 
for he says that "No man hath ascended up 
to heaven, but he that came down from 
heaven." (Jno. iii. 13.) 

This strife, sin, pain, death, &c., does not and 
cannot exist in heaven. There all is peace, 
love, truth, justice, purity, glory, and life eter- 
nal. A disobedient member would instantly 
be cast from heaven to earth, as Michael and 
his angels cast out the dragon and his angels 
into earth, (see 12th chapter of Revelations,) 
or as God cast out Adam and Eve into earth, 



Earthy and the Millennium. 29 

(see 3d chapter of Genesis). The sublime 
peace, happiness and glory of heaven must, in 
the nature of things, be unbroken and eter- 
nal. Strife, sin, pain, nor death, cannot enter 
there ; neither can contention, hatred, or dis- 
cord, but the Christian virtues only. 

The angels of heaven are doubtless endowed 
with great freedom of action and will, as also 
of power and ability. God and His angels 
are not mere ideal beings or nonentities, but 
are possessed of omnipotent and herculean 
powers. This reason Avould teach aside from 
revelation. Heaven is also full of grades and 
ranks as earth. This is according to God's 
justice and impartiality, and is taught by the 
Bible. 

In speaking of the resurrection, St. Paul (1st 
Cor. XV. 41, 42) says, ''There is one glory of 
the sun, and another glory of the moon, and 
another glory of the stars ; for one star differ- 
eth from another star in glory. So also is the 
resurrection of the dead." Christ says, (see 
14th chapter St,^ John's Gospel,) ''In my 
Father's house are many mansions." St. 



30 A PMlosopJiy of Heaven^ 

John in Revelations speaks of angels, and 
also of mighty angels ; St. Paul also speaks 
of a third heaven, and Christ speaks of a par- 
adise. And from divers other passages of 
Scripture we are bound to infer that heaven, 
though abounding in peace, love, glory, and 
eternal felicity, has grades and degrees of 
rank and enjoyment. The enjoyments of cer- 
tain portions must be more delightfal than 
others, and the powers and rank of certain 
angels much more desirable than others. 

We must admit also from the teachings of 
Christ that there is a ^' strait gate," or elect 
portion of heaven, to wdiich he invites us to 
enter, and through which none but the righte- 
ous can enter, compared to which we must 
reckon all else as loss. Here Christ and his 
exemplary followers will reign in great glory 
and bliss, enjoying the choicest blessings of 
God; but it by no means follows that this 
strait gate embraces the whole heavens, but 
only the chief or elect portion, while there are 
other grades passing down from this high 
grade to the moral people of earth — then to 



^ 



Earthy and the Millennium. 31 

idolaters — then to usurers — then to extortion- 
ers — then to oppressors of the poor — then to 
liars and fornicators — then to hypocrites — 
then to rogues, murderers, and beasts. All of 
these latter must of necessity be debarred 
from the elect and chosen part of heaven 
occupied by Christ and his true followers ; 
hence he represents them as existing outside 
of the strait gate and as suffering loss. 

As to the nature of the power of angels, it is 
beyond the comprehension of men to under- 
stand or explain. But we know that there 
are powers which are imponderous and invisi- 
ble, such as heat, cold, light, life, &c. Heat 
and cold possess enormous power, so does the 
light of heaven. These powers are invisible, 
as philosophers say, while their effects are 
visible. And so it is with spiritual power ; it 
is invisible, yet its effects are plainly visible. 
All animal life is the result of spiritual power, 
or, in other words, the life that exists in man 
and animals, giving their bodies vitality, is 
the gift of God, exerted by His Spirit. This 
Spirit has immense force, and when withdrawn 



33 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

from the subject, leaves it truly a dead, cor- 
rupt, and wrecked mass of ruin. It is this 
unseen power that gives life to all earthly 
objects subject to life and death. 

Of the nature of this power we can only 
conjecture; philophers witness its effects, but 
are dumb when an explanation is demanded. 
It is one of the sealed mysteries of heaven, 
and proves conclusively that man is in a fallen 
state and is shorn of his proper attributes. 

How unthankful mankind are to dispute or 
even doubt the existence of their heavenly 
Creator, and the resurrection and redemption 
through death into His eternal heavens, 
simply because He has not unfolded to them 
all the mysteries of godliness, or given them 
sense to comprehend the same ! This light is 
denied for the most wise purposes. This life 
is at present one of trouble, anxiety, hope, and 
restlessness. Show men the grandeur of God 
and His angels, and the pure and heavenly 
bliss they enjoy, and are to enjoy through all 
eternity — make the resurrection to these en- 
joyments a patent and discernible fact to their 



Earthy and tJie Millennium, 33 

sight and understanding, and life on earth 
itself would become intolerable and insup- 
portable. There is enough now exhibited to 
satisfy all reasonable beings of these facts — 
the beasts of the earth recognize them. 

Now, I might ask the reader to survey the 
starry heavens, and request him to answer 
where he would locate the true heaven that 
he has fancied as the chief resting-place and 
abode of the saints. If we locate it above, our 
antipodes, the Chinese, will probably say we 
have located it below. If we locate it east or 
west, what assurances have we that we are 
correct? The truth is, the heaven which we all 
desire to reach and enjoy, fills and embraces 
the whole immensity of space and eternity. 
That this space and heaven are without bounds 
or limits, either as to architecture, like the 
heavenly bodies, or planets, suns and spheres ; 
or as to time, the beginning and end of which 
is inconceivable to the human mind. 

This space is indefinite ; but if the human 
mind, or the spirit of man, which is the true 
man, was once released from the flesh, or our 



34 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

carnal bodies, it could traverse mucli of tins 
space with the rapidity of thought or light — 
could visit different portions of heaven, or va- 
rious planets, just as quick as thought or light. 
Space and distance, though alarmingly great 
to us mortals of earth, have but little applica- 
tion in heaven to those who enjoy perfect gifts 
and entire freedom. Doubtless many of us 
will be denied these gifts and freedom, and 
our enjoyments and capacities limited, by 
reason of our disobedience on earth. Our re- 
ward must and sliould be according to our 
works. 

Time has not the same meaning in heaven 
that it has on earth, and distance is but a 
small matter. To illustrate : — Upon the death 
of an individual, he, or his spiritual being, is 
at once in the immediate presence of God 
and the powers of heaven, and this by instan- 
taneous flight to heaven. God's throne is not 
on earth, because it is unfit for the same ; it is 
nothing more than His footstool. His throne 
is in heaven because it is pure, holy, and sub- 
lime; while earth is corrupt and degraded. 



Earthy and the Millennmm. 35 

God's abode is far removed from earth. A 
simple visit to our earth would be the cause 
of removing all strife, pain, sin, desire, and 
death, for the time being ; and the glories of 
heaven, and of departed friends, w^ould be visi- 
ble to all His creatures But it is ordained 
otherwise, and this world must grope in dark- 
ness, sin, misery, and death, till the millennial 
reign, when the world will at last have a sea- 
son of peace, and the true Gospel will again 
be preached. 

That heaven embraces all space and me- 
chanism as exhibited in the starry firmanent 
there is but little doubt ; such was the teach- 
ing of David in the 19th Psalm. Christ spoke 
of "his Father's house," and represented it 
as containing '' many mansions" : this evi- 
dently had reference to the universality of 
heaven. This view is nowhere controverted 
by the Bible, and is well sustained by reason 
and philosophy. St. John in Revelation speaks 
of the New Jerusalem as coming down from 
God : he gives the dimensions of it. But this 
has no reference to heaven itself, but proba- 



36 A PMlosopTiy of Heaven^ 

My of an elect portion of it (of which I have 
heretofore spoken), claimed and set apart for 
Christ and his true followers. The Bible says 
expressly that it came down from God out of 
heaven. This again corroborates my state- 
ment that heaven is embraced in the count- 
less universes which eternally exist in the 
boundlessness of space. It also rather corrob- 
orates my views of different rewards in the 
heavens, and that every being will be judged 
according to his works, and assigned to apart- 
ments suited to his tastes, inclinations, and 
merits. 

In the first chapter of Genesis, Moses gives 
an account of the creation of the heavens and 
the earth. I shall now proceed, briefly, to no- 
tice his narration of the creation, lest critics 
should say that I have contradicted the au- 
thority and teachings of Moses. This I have 
no intention of doing, by any fair construction. 
But here let me premise that we must not con- 
clude that Moses, was endeavoring to enlighten 
the world with a scientific treatise on geology, 
astronomy, or philosophy; neither is such 



Earthy and the Millennium. 37 

particularly my intention at j)resent ; but he 
was endeavoring to impress tlie great truth on 
the minds of the people that heaven existed, 
and that it was made by an all- wise and pow- 
erful God sufficiently omnipotent to create 
them according to His will and pleasure ; that 
the same was governed by Him according to 
just and invariable laws. He also taught that 
our earth was under the curse of God for 
man's transgression. 

At what time the ''beginning" was, Moses 
does not pretend to say. He says, ''In the 
beginning God created the heavens and the 
earth." Moses could not truthfully have sta- 
ted the time of the creation only as he did; so 
he contented himself with the expression "in 
the beginning" ; for time, as we use it, was not 
applicable to his subject. The time, in all 
probability, was remote, perhaps beyond hu- 
man comprehension, or even calculation. Here 
allow me to observe that all the changes and 
strife of the earth are due chiefly to our at- 
mosphere, or its action on the other elements 
of earth, and that the earth possesses no 



38 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

elements safficient to effect its d^scruction — 
hence, if you will still our atniosphere, no 
changes will occur on ear ill of any note — and 
that the earth has endured and will endure 
forever. I Avill speak more fully of the ele- 
ments of earth in the next chapter. 

Some persons believe that the heavens and 
the earth have existed only about six thousand 
years, and conclude so from the generations 
recorded by Moses and the Bible. But this 
world or earth may have existed, and without 
doubt did exist, thousands and jDerhaps mil- 
lions of years before Adam was driven out of 
the garden of Eden into earth, and will with- 
out doubt exist as long as time endures. It is 
a part of God's majestic w^ork. It is set in mo- 
tion and governed by His laws. It has no ele- 
ments within it sufficient to accomplish its 
own destruction. It exists according to God's 
will, and unless He should destroy it Himself, 
it will endure forever. This, a benevolent God 
will never do. If there is any alteration in the 
affairs of earth, the creatures of earth may 
confidently expect to be benefitted and not 



Earthy and the Millennium, 89 

damaged by the change. He created the heav- 
ens and the earth, and from the language of 
Moses we must infer that they were created at 
the same time. 

The earth wa^ placed in its proper sphere 
in the solar system, and performs a journey 
around the sun once a year, giving us the four 
seasons ; and revolves on its axis once in twen- 
ty-four hours, giving us day and night. It 
moves in its orbit and revolves on its axis 
with a steadiness and regularity which none 
but God could dispense, and which can only 
be interfered with by Him. So also of the 
other lieavenly bodies ; they perform their 
journej^s and revolutions according to the will 
and power of God. They have no will of their 
own, and there is no other power higher than 
God for them to obey, and consequently they 
must obey His will. That will is unchangea- 
ble, and is the element of eternity, and will 
endure forever. 

The vast celestial system we behold of a 
starry night partly composes the heavens, 
and is the abode of the true and living God 



40 A FMlosophy of Heaven^ 

and His angels. His existence and theirs is 
without beginning and without end. He has 
existed indefinitely and will so exist; so have 
and will His works, the heavens, there being 
no other power to destroy them. 

It is evident that the earth has undergone 
changes by violence, and this was inflicted 
probably at the time it was cursed for man's 
trangression. However that may be, it is now 
the scene of continual strife, violence, change, 
and death. The whole powers of heaven seem 
to entail a perpetual warfare upon it, produ- 
cing this strife, sin, decaj^, turmoil, change, 
and death. I shall speak of this more fully 
hereafter, and shall endeavor to trace a few of 
these changes and convulsions of earth to 
their proper sources. 

But to return to the consideration of the 
starry heavens. I contend that each and every 
star placed in the heavens is the abode of an- 
gelic beings ; that each one of them is but one 
of the mansions of the Father's house spoken 
of by Christ ; that they have diff'erent and di- 
versified glories as spoken of by St. Paul, and 



Earthy and the Millennium. 41 

that they will afford ample room for the ap- 
propriate enjoyment of each and every crea- 
ture of earth possessing the Spirit of God, 
though these enjoyments will be as diverse as 
the traits, inclinations and conduct of all that 
have dwelt upon the earth. In heaven's wide 
extent there is room for all. The most insig- 
nificant, even as the ant, need not be lost. 
There will be no use in sending the foolish 
idolaters or wicked sinners to a hell of literal 
lire. Their punishment before the throne of 
Ood will be just, ample, and eternal. Their 
shame and ignominy will be complete and hu- 
miliating. Hypocrites will no lono:er be stum- 
Ibling-blocks, and false teachers will no longer 
be deceivers. Every creature's status, grade, 
and enjoyment, will be fixed and awarded as 
their works shall be. Nature teaches these 
lessons of degrees and ranks through all lier 
works. The heavenly bodies teach them, the 
Scriptures teach them, reason teaches them, 
and they must be admitted as established 
truths. 

The grades and ranks of earth will all find 



42 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

positions in heaven. The pursuits, inclina- 
tions and enjoyments of earth will also diver- 
sify the heavens, and render them interesting 
and pleasing. Every imaginable grade of be- 
ings that exist on earth possessing the Spirit 
of God will likewise exist in heaven. The 
earth itself is in truth only a miniature por- 
trait or reflex of heaven. But with all this ad- 
mixture of souls and variety of beings, there 
will be the utmost peiice, harmony, universal 
love, good- will, friendship , and charity. The 
evil dispositions of earth will be slain by 
death ; and the creatures of heaven acknowl- 
edge God's justice and wisdom, and be con- 
tent with their state and enjoyment, however 
degraded or meagre it may be. 

All power of harm and every incentive to 
do wrong will be shorn from the creatures of 
earth by death, and they will all forever there- 
after enjoy life eternal. This life eternal, how- 
ever, must be subject to the holy laws of heav- 
en ; and as there is no temptation or incentive 
to do wrong or commit sin, if the creatures of 
heaven through positive and uncalled-for dis- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 43 

obedience violate those laws, pimisliment, re- 
pentance, and regeneration on earth, are the 
consequences. This position will be more 
fully illustrated hereafter in the fall of Adam 
and Eve. 

The angels of heaven undoubtedly possess 
free will only so far as restrained by certain 
positive and known laws, which extend only 
to preserve and protect the peace, happiness 
and glory of the heavens. This will — or lib- 
erty, if yoa choose, — is not alike to all, but is 
more abundant with some and contracted as 
to others, to be determined as their works 
shall be. 

We behold the uniformity and certainty of 
God's laws in the administration of the heav- 
enly bodies. The solar and planetary systems 
of the heavens are governed with accurate har- 
mony and perfection far excelling any contri- 
vance of man, and are suggestive of the om- 
nipotence and wisdom of God. Observation 
teaches us that the laws by which God gov- 
erns the universe are true, perfect, harmoni- 
ous, and impartial. Not a jar, not a quiver, 



44 A Pliilosojpliy of Heaven^ 

can be observed in the movements of the heav- 
enly bodies. It is true there are slight varia- 
tions in their courses in their orbits, but these 
are natural and result from attraction and re- 
pulsion, which characterizes their existence 
and motions. God's vast systems of heavenly 
architecture revolve and move in the firmament 
of heaven with unerring certainty and most 
sublime and placid harmony. 

Philosophers have advanced various theo- 
ries and opinions respecting the movements of 
the heavenly bodies, all of which have proved 
to be unsatisfactory. The philosophy of Sir 
Isaac jSTewton is most generally accepted. He 
discovered the principle of gravitation, and 
was also aware that there was an equallj^ op- 
posing force called the " centrifugal " power, 
but was wholly ignorant of its nature. He 
was misled by the teachings of his day, and, 
strangely enough, failed to discover it. 

I claim the honor of this discovery, and will 
proceed to give a synopsis of this power and 
its effects. Newton taught that there was a 
'' centrifugal power," which caused corporeal 



Earthy and the Millennium, 45 

matter, as the earth and planets, to fly away 
from the sun ; and that there was also an 
equally opposing '' centripetal power," which 
would cause them to fly to the sun. This is 
the attractive power that matter has, and 
causes this earth and other planets and 
spheres to cohere or stick together. One 
planet possesses affinity for another, and the 
whole would fly together if there was not 
some opposing power to prevent it. The sun 
is much larger than all the planets revolving 
around it, that properly belong to our solar 
system. It being about fourteen hundred 
thousand times as large as our earth, the 
earth and all other planets near it would be 
instantly attracted to it and buried in its light 
(not fire, for the sun is not even hot), if they 
were not repulsed by the opposing centrifugal 
power. This is the philosophy of jSTewton. 
He was correct so far as he went, but made 
erroneous suppositions, because he was unac- 
quainted with the centrifugal power which 
drove or repelled the planets and the earth 
from the sun. This power is simplj^ the light 



46 A Philosophy of Heo.ven^ 

emanating from the sun and other luminous 
bodies. It has not heretofore been recognized 
and taught as an element, and Newton was 
deceived thereby. Light is a powerful ele- 
ment, and issues from the sun and other 
luminaries in great volume, in every direction, 
and with power and velocity sufficient to re- 
pulse, drive away, or float off*, the earth and 
other planets belonging to our solar system, to 
certain distances or points in the firmament 
which are determined in all instances accord- 
ing to their respective densities or affinity the 
sun possesses for them, and also by the power 
of the particular strata or rays of light in 
which they are placed. When thus driven 
away by the power of the sun's light, they find 
an equilibrium in it. adjusted between the 
centrifugal power of light, which has floated 
or driven them off from the sun, and the centri- 
petal power of the sun, which attracts and 
draws them to it. Now, when thus floated 
away from the sun, they would remain station- 
ary in the heavens, without performing any 
revolutions either annual or diurnal, if the sun 



Eartli^ and the Millenniuvi. 47 

and its light were still. But the sun is not still, 
neither is its light ; but the sun revolves on its 
own axis once in twenty-five days and ten 
liours, and as it revolves its rays of light also 
revolve with great velocity and power. These 
rays of light strike the earth with great pro- 
jectile power on that one-fourth part next to 
the sun and in the rear of its course in its 
orbit, and projects or drives it forward in its 
orbit. It must go around the sun, because the 
particular strata of light suited to its density 
revolves around it, and as it revolves the earth 
is driven around with it. It is forced in that 
particular strata of revolving light, because 
none other suits its density. And so of all the 
planets. Light travels much faster than the 
planets and our cumbrous earth. The sun re- 
volves nearly fifteen times while our earth 
makes one journey around it; consequently, 
revolving light travels some fifteen times as 
fast as the earth, and does not therefore strike 
the earth with any projectile force in the front 
of its course in its orbit, but with great pro- 
jectile force in the rear fourth part next to the 



48 A PMlosopliy of Hearken, 

snn, and thereby compels it to turn inward to 
the sun, and revolve on its own axis, thus giv- 
ing us day and night. 

The sun revolves on its axis from right to 
left, but the earth revolves on its axis from left 
to right. All the planets, as well as the earth, 
are driven by the revolving light of the sun in 
the same course it turns ; that is, from right to 
left, or from west to east. If we were situated 
below the sun's true equator, matters would 
appear reversed. 

Light emanates or is thrown off from the 
sun and other luminaries with greater force 
and velocity at its equator than at its poles. 
If the planets Jupiter and Saturn were placed 
over the northern and southern poles of the 
sun, they would approach it much nearer, and 
would not revolve in any orbit, or on their own 
axis. Light has probably the same brilliancy 
in all directions from the sun and other lumin- 
aries, but not the same centrifugal or repulsive 
power ; hence, a comet or other celestial body 
may approach much nearer to the poles of the 
sun than it could to its equator. The velocity 



Earthy and the Millenniuvi, 49 

and power of light recedes from the sun's 
equator to its poles. All the planets have one 
hundred and eighty degrees, or one-half of 
them, illuminated by the sun's rays, and the 
other side is shaded or dark, and they all re- 
volve on their axis, giving day and night; 
some, however, revolve quite slowly. This is 
determined chiefly by their densities and cir- 
cumferences, and their poles have much in- 
fluence over their diurnal revolutions. The 
diurnal revolutions of some of the secondary 
planets or satellites — our moon, for instance — 
Tire nearly destroyed by the attractions of the 
earth and their primary planets and by re- 
flected light. 

While the light of the sun floats off the 
primary and secondary planets from the sun 
and causes them to revolve around it and on 
their own axis, reflected light, combined 
with the light of the sun and the attrac- 
tions of the sun and primary planets, causes 
the satellites or moons to revolve around the 
primary planets. Our moon, for illustration, 
revolves around the earth by means of re- 



50 A PTtilosopTiy of Hrar*:iu 

fleeted liglit chiefly, but is aided, of course, by 
the light of the sun and the attractions of sun 
and earth. At the new moon phase the moon 
is nearly between the earth and the sun ; if 
precisely so, an eclipse of the sun occurs. 
This is but rarely so, however i and I am not 
speaking of such nowi. When thus between 
us and the sun, she is in the dense light of the 
sun and in the reflected light of the earth. 
This reflected light, though nor powerful like 
that of the sun, is yet quite powerful. It has 
forced the moon in a strata of the sun's light 
which is too powerful for her density, and she 
is compelled to rise out apparently above our 
horizon in a curved line or orbit to the first 
quarter or half moon phase. The earth is 
attracting her, and the impetus the light of the 
sun and the reflected light of the earth has 
given her projects her beyond the earth's 
- orbit, where she presents the full moon. At 
the full moon phase she would instantly fly to 
our earth, for the earth and the sun both 
strongly attract her in the same direction, and 
besides the light in that position is too rare 



Earthy and the Millenniuni. 51 

for her density ; but her own reflected light, 
which now strikes the earth strongly, bears 
her around ; consequently, when she begins to 
approach the sun in search of a stronger light, 
she is borne around our earth to her third 
quarter: there she encounters the reflected 
light of the earth, and is driven on in her orbit 
to the new moon phase again, and thus around 
our earth forever. While within the earth's 
orbit, or between us and the sun, she is forced 
away by the earth's reflected light, and while 
without her orbit by her own reflected light. 
The moon is nearly of the same density of the 
earth, and so must all other celestial bodies be 
in order to approach near it. 

Reflected light has and will forever prevent 
collisions among the heavenly bodies ; for the 
reader must remember, that, in order to ap- 
proach near each other, they must be of nearly 
the same density, and that a small power or 
force would throw or bear them around each 
other. If a comet should approach from with- 
in the earth's orbit, the reflected light of the 
earth would force it apparently above into our 



52 A Pliiloso'pliy of Heaven^ 

liorizon ; if it should apj)roacli the earth from 
without its orbit, its own reflected light would 
bear it around the earth. 

Our solar system is an inferior one. There is 
another higher order of systems, and these 
two orders are crowned with still a third grand 
system. That is, there are three grades com- 
posing the heavens, and the higher grades 
drive comets through our solar system. These 
comets have imm<^nse orbits, which is proven 
by the fact that some of them are knoAvn to 
require more than five hundred of our years to 
complete one revolution, and perhaps some re- 
quire five thousand years ; for, strange as it 
may seem, the heavens cannot be spanned. 
No comet can complete its circle ; and if one 
should travel in a direct line, with the rapidity 
of lightning, through the illimitable regions 
of space and through the ages of eternity, it 
still would not find the boundaries of heaven. 
God's architecture, as displayed to us partl}^ 
in the heavens, is universal and eternal. These 
second and third systems of the heavens are 
perhaps of a different order to our solar sys- 



Earthy and the Millennium, 53 

tem. They are, perhaps, composed of sub- 
stances and emit lights of wholly difierent 
nature, and our su7i and planets possess but 
little attraction for or influence over them. In 
fact, comets seem nearly independent of our 
system, and must Ibe of quite a different com- 
position, though tangible and powerful as our 
planets. 

Light is a powerful element which gently 
and thoroughly fills all space, and impercepti- 
bly exerts great power. Its regularity and 
mildness are suggestive of the purity, eternity 
and serenity of heaven, and the impartiality 
of God. By its power, all the creatures of 
heaven and earth are more or less affected. 
Even the creeping vine, if growing in the 
shade, is attracted to its presence. Corn, and 
other vegetation, if planted in the shade, are 
drawn to it if there is a crack or opening near 
enough to admit its rays. Vegetation natu- 
rally seeks the light as if by instinct. It is 
the power of light that causes vegetation to 
spring upward. The light invites and attracts 
it upward, as if to bid it to a higher and better 



54 A Philosophy of ITeaven, 

element. If light did not possess this power 
and attraction, seeds when germinating would 
be as likely to cast their shoots downward, or 
laterally in the earth, as to burst forth into the 
light above. So with the souls of earth. On 
the new birth^ or resurrection of the dead, we 
are compelled by the attraction of light to ap- 
pear before the throne of God, which is vivid 
with intense light ; but not so with heat. This 
resplendent light is the ordeal that tries men's 
souls, and shows up all their deeds to the gaze 
of heaven, whether they be good or evil. 

Light is the agent by which God governs 
the universe. It drives the planets in their 
orbits, and causes them to revolve on their 
axes, giving day and night. It also gave them 
their rotundity. If it were possible to extin- 
guish the light of the sun, all the planets be- 
longing to our solar system would instantly 
be attracted to it. It is also the chief agent 
by means of which God created the universe, 
Theheavens, according to Christ, grew as from 
a grain of mustard-seed, and are in all proba- 
bility yet growing and increasing. He also 



Earthy and the Millenninm, 55 

taught that they not only grew, but that they 
were spread out as if by leaven ; and by this 
word '' leaven" he simply meant light. Here 
we find a God-like man asserting, upwards of 
eighteen hundred years ago, that the heavens 
grew, and were spread out by light or leaven ; 
which is the most rational philosophy of the 
heavens that has ever been advanced. His 
assertion was truth and not theory. He pos- 
sessed the power of seeing men's souls and 
observing their thoughts, just as we see men's 
bodies and observe their motions. He saw 
the heavens and the creatures thereof in their 
spiritual and true light, a view which is un- 
known to us. This view enabled him to heal 
the sick, feed the hungry, and raise the dead. 
The causes of desire, life, and death, were 
clearly seen and understood by him. By this 
view, he resisted the temptations of Satan ; for 
he saw God and the angels of heaven behold- 
ing his trial, and the majesty and splendor of 
God's kingdom and the bliss of His people or 
angels made Satan's offer to appear as dross. 
For this reason Christ was indifferent to the 



56 A PMlosoiDliy of Hcaien^ 

wealth or honors of this world, and of the ap- 
plause of men. As soon as his mission was 
performed, he saw the glory displayed to 
which he was to return ; hence he went to his 
own funeral as cheerfully as a bridegroom to 
his marriage. 

Light emanates from the sun's equator in a 
direct line, at right angles with its poles. As 
it issues from the sun above or below its equa- 
tor, it forms a less angle with its poles, till it 
reaches them. A plamet situated in its equa- 
torial light, a billion of miles from it, would 
revolve in an immense orbit ; while, if situated 
the same distance from it, but in light ema- 
nating from near its poles, it would revolve in 
quite a small orbit. Those planets revolving in 
the largest orbits are, perhaps, situated in a 
stratum of light issuing from the sun's equator, 
because light is thrown off stronger there than 
elsewhere. Two bodies of different densities 
cannot approach each other very closely, as 
they cannot remain in the same stratum of 
light. Bodies of small densities may apparent- 
ly attract each other in their orbits, in a rare 



Earthy and the Millennium. 57 

light, as mucli as bodies of greater densities 
in a denser light. 

Our philosophers inform ns that there are 
Ibut few i^lanets belonging to our solar system. 
Eight planets, besides the asteroids, include 
all belonging to our system, to-wit, Mercury, 
Yenus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Ura- 
nus, and Neptune. There are a number of 
satellites or moons, and it is now said that 
there are about one hundred of the asteroids, 
but few of which, if any, are visible to the na- 
ked eye. It is also said that the planes of all 
their orbits are, and must of necessity be, 
tlirough the centre of the sun. Tliat is to say, 
if a carriage-wheel correctly represents the 
solar system, the hub would represent tiie sun, 
and all the planets must revolve around it at 
various distances, but between it and the rim 
or tire ; or, if beyond that, they must be in a 
direct line, as the spokes point. Now, it is 
more than probable that all the planets do not 
thus revolve, witli the planes of their orbits 
through the centre of the sun, but ma}', and in 
fact do, revolve in a light far above or below 
6 



58 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

the sun's true equator, witli the planes of their 
orbits far above or below its centre. Tliey 
may revolve in a light issuing from the sun's 
northern or southern hemisphere ; and it is 
questionable if there are not numerous planete 
belonging to our system which have been 
classed as fixed stars. If, however, philoso- 
phers can establish the fact, that all the plan- 
ets have the planes of their orbits through the 
centre of the sun, then they establish the fact 
that the matter composing this earth and all 
the other planets has been thrown off from the 
sun at its equator only, owing to the greater 
centrifugal force produced thus by its revolu- 
tion on its own axis. 

Every planet is driven or floated off to its 
proper position in the firmament by the power 
of light. They are the products of light ; they 
are indebted to it for their revolutions around 
the sun and on their own axes ; they are also 
indebted to it for their rotundity and for their 
oblate or spheroidal form ; and our earth is 
indebted to it for its inclination on its axis, 
(which is probably a depression and elevation 



Earth, and the Millennium. 59 



l3elow and above the sun's equator), giving us 
the seasons. 

Our philosophers suppose that this earth 
and the other planets may have been violently 
stricken off from the sun, or that they were 
made and with great power cast off, at right 
angles with the sun, into open space, by an all- 
poweiful God, and that between a momentary 
impulse thus given and the great attraction 
the sun possesses for them they have found 
their present orbits. God never performed 
His work in such a fortuitous manner. He 
created and arranged the heavenly bodies in 
such systematic order that durability, har- 
mony, grandeur, and eternity, are the results. 
System and order reign, and the heavens in- 
crease eternally. 

Many will disagree to the proposition that 
the earth is growing in size, but geology and 
critical examination and reason prove such to 
be the fact. The different strata of our earth 
also demonstrate it. The primary stratum was 
made long before the curse of God was pro- 
nounced on the earth, because no traces of 



60 A FMlosojpTiy of Hearten^ 

vegetation, man, or the animals, are to be 
found in it. No evidences of change, misery, 
or death, are to be found. This primary stra- 
tum lies deep in the earth, unless it has been 
disturbed by volcanic action. jS^ext we find 
the secondary stratum or formation. This is 
above the other, and in it we find the evidence 
of change, sufi*ering, and death, as regards 
vegetation and the animals, for their remains 
are clearly seen it. And finally in the tertiary 
or third formation, near the surface, we find 
the remains of man. This coincides with the 
Mosaic account, and clearly proves that the 
earth increases in size. It also proves that 
the angelic beings who inhabited this earth 
prior to its curse, which was simply clothing 
it w^itli the atmosphere, were not subject to 
death. It cannot be doubted that the earth, 
and all the planets, fixed stars, and suns, are 
and always were inhabited. jN'ature teaches 
that the whole creation is tQeming with life, 
and Christ taught that there was life, and life 
more abundant, and life everlasting, in the 
heavens. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 61 

The difterent formations above alluded to, 
all characterized by different phenomena and 
marks, and all denoting different eras, prove 
conclusively that the earth grows in size, and 
consequently that Christ's assertion that the 
heavens grew, is a truth. The soil on which 
we now walk and have our existence will, in 
'the distant future, be buried miles beneath the 
surface. ''Every valley shall be filled, and ev- 
ery mountain and hill shall be brought low ; 
and the crooked shall be made straight, and 
the rough ways shall be made smooth." (See 
3d chapter of St. Luke.) This, however, will 
require thousands of centuries and perhaps 
millions of years to complete it, but time will 
accomplish it. This growth is so gradual and 
Imperceptible that neither animal nor vegeta- 
ble life is or will be affected by it. It will also 
be accomplished in such a manner that the 
water and dry land will keep pace with each 
other; not that light first produces water, but 
that it produces earth, minerals, and water, at 
the same time, which are separated by means 
of the atmosphere ; and when thus separated, 



62 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

each seeks its place under the laws of attrac- 
tion and gravitation. If this hypothesis is cor- 
rect, the sea rests on the primary formation, 
and does not extend very far into it. Water 
does not penetrate or extend into the earth 
very^ deep, for the reason that there was no at- 
mosphere by whose action it was separated 
from earthy and mineral substances. Hence, 
if the theory is correct, the earth is all a solid 
a short distance below its surface. 

Can it be possible that all space between 
the planets is devoid of matter. Philosophers 
so teach, and further suppose that if a planet 
was once set in motion in this void space by a 
projectile force, that its motion would continue 
forever despite the attraction of the sun. This 
cannot be admitted as truth. The perpetual 
attraction of the sun vv^ould soon arrest the 
single impulsive movement of a planet even if 
space was void of matter, because a continu- 
ing force or ]3ower produces more effect than 
an impulsive or projectile one. Besides, there 
are not any portions of the heavens or inter- 
planetary space that are devoid of matter, as 



Earthy and the Millennium. 63 

light is matter, and withal a most powerful 
element. 

Why is it that the planet Mercury, having a 
density double that of this earth and situated 
twice as close to the sun as this earth, moves 
in its orbit only a little faster than this earth ? 
If Mercury maintains her position in her orbit 
by a projectile force given her in the begin- 
ning, that force must have been immense, and 
her velocity astonishingly great, in order to re- 
sist the constant attraction of the sun. But her 
motion in her orbit around the sun is, compar- 
atively speaking, only a little faster than our 
earth. This proves that the planets are not 
driven in their orbits around the sun by a sim- 
ple, instantaneous, projectile force, but by a 
power that is constant, uniform, equable, and 
eternal ; and this power is the light of lumin- 
ous bodies. 

The reader must remember that the motion 
of the planets around the sun is not denied. 
Latitude and longitude are correctly ascer- 
tained by the motions of the planets, and by 
observation of the fixed stars. But it is con- 



64 A Fliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

tended that light is the chief cause of every 
motion or movement among the heavenly bod- 
ies. There is a centripetal power which causes 
matter to approach matter, and to adhere or 
stick together. This power Xewton discoverd 
and explained. There is also a centrifugal 
power, which causes matter to fly ofi* from mat- 
ter, as the planets fly ofi* from our sun. iSTo 
philosopher has ever explained the nature of 
this power. Light, I assert, is the centrifugal 
power of the heavens ; and in so saying, no 
man's philosophy is contradicted, but a vacu- 
um is supplied. Xature and the motions of 
the planets prove my assertion to be true. 

I wish the reader further to remember that 
I do not claim that my theory is perfect in 
every particular, or that my assertions are in- 
fallible. I do claim, however, that the general 
principles stated are correct, and that details 
can, and will be, accurately made in the future. 

There is not the least possible chance for a 
collision to occur among the heavenly bodies. 
Take this earth, if possible, hundreds of mil- 
lions of miles farther from the sun, and when 



EartJi^ and the Millenium, 65 

released it will sink back to its orbit. In its 
flight and haste to reach its orbit, it would 
pass it and approach very near to the sun, 
and then vibrate a few times within and 
without its orbit, but it would quickly find its 
proj)er orbit, and revolve as now. Take it, if 
possible, to the sun, and the light of the sun 
would repulse it back to its orbit, because 
there is found its only proper equilibrium and 
place. Remove all the planets much farther 
from the sun, and they will sink back to their 
orbits. Bring them, if possible, into a small 
group around the sun, and its light will drive 
or float them to their present respective orbits, 
for there are no other strata of light suited 
to them. For this reason, if the whole created 
heavens were gathered into a grand constella- 
tion, the power of their luminaries, exerted 
through their light, would spread them out 
again. 

Light is a powerful element, and possesses 
great repulsive or floating power. This may 
appear incredulous to many, but everything is 
after its own kind, as nature teaches as well 



66 A PTdlosopTiy of Heareii^ 

as the Bible. EreiytMng is adapted to its 
own element : dirt and slime for worms, water 
for fishes, air for man and animals, and light 
for the heavenly bodies. God. and the anu^els. 
The frog would not exchange the slime of his 
pond for the elegance of the king's palace. 
Let the reader observe the worms of the dirt 
and the fishes of the sea. If they are con- 
scious that they are in an element, they have 
not any knowledge that air is an element ; yet 
air is an element much more important than 
water. If you deprive the worm or fish of its 
elemt'ur it must die, and so with man; not be- 
cause there are no other elements, but because 
there are no others suited to the organization 
of their corporeal existence. A whale or por- 
poise would consider our atmosphere an ideal 
thing, possessing no reality, and just so have 
mankind considered light. Light is a glorious 
element, the highest known to nature, and is 
the supjDorter of the starry heavens. Let me 
ask the doubting philosopher, why he has 
written and discoursed so much on a mere 
non-entitr, if lio'ht is such. TThy has he de- 



Earth, and the Millenniiim. 67 



livered so many lectures on a tiling tliat has 
no existence? Why has the medical man lec- 
tured and cautioned the world concerning the 
beneficial effects of light on the constitution 
and health? Why is it so necessary to the 
husbandman, in order to make and secure 
good crops ? Why will philosophers and as- 
tronomers proclaim that the sun, moon and 
stars hang upon ''nothing/' when the heavens 
are teemingiy illuminated with light so pow- 
erful as to support and float these celestial bo- 
dies in their proper orbits and places ? Why 
proclaim to benighted man, that if our earth, 
or any other planet, should lose its equilibri- 
um for a moment, it would be attracted to the 
sun, or fly off into a void or unknown space, 
probably making a wreck of itself and other 
planets, if not the whole heavens ? These are 
questions that cannot be answered except by 
adopting my philosophy. 

Light has a j)owerful effect on the earth and 
the creatures of the earth. When we are in 
good health, its effects are natural and imper- 
ceptible, just as water is to the fishes ; but if 



68 A PTiilosopliy of Heaven, 

our liealtli is bad, and the system quite feeble, 
then its effects become visible. The fishes feel 
no inconvenience from the pressure of water, 
neither does man nor the beasts from the or- 
dinary pressure of light and air. The corpo- 
real conditions of each are adapted to its own 
elements. 

Light also begets or produces matter, as the 
earth, planets, &c. ; and as there are different 
kinds of light, they, each one, produce and 
bring forth matter after its own kind, just as 
the visible objects of eartli produce and bring 
them fortli. 

Christ vv'as a powerful i3hilosopher, and fore- 
shadowed the philosophy I have advanced, 
and is really entitled to the honor of it ; and if 
philosophers will honestly consult his teach- 
ings, especially his similitudes of the kingdom 
of God (see 13th chapter of St. Luke's Gospel), 
I doubt not they will agree with me in saying 
that those very similitudes prove his divinity, 
and consequently his positive teaching of the 
resurrection of the dead. He said of the king- 
dom of God, ''It is like leaven which a woman 



Earth, and the Millennium, 69 

took and liid in tliree mea.sures of meal, till 
tlie whole was leavened." The word ''leaven" 
there used means light; the ''three measures 
of meal" represent the three different grades 
of heaven, as the lirst, second, and third heav- 
ens ; the word "hid" signifies undiscovered or 
unobserved, as it was at that day. St. Paul 
also spoke of " the third heavens," and he sol- 
emnly affirmed that he obtained his knowl- 
edge of Gospel truths from heaven, and not 
from men. 

Christ, in his first similitude, likens the 
kingdom of God to " a grain of mustard-seed, 
which a man took and cast into his garden, 
and it grew and waxed a great tree, and the 
fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it." 
2^ow, from this similitude we may very prop- 
erly infer that the heavens have been produced 
by a natural growth, and not made with God's 
own hands, and cast out in void space, as some 
philosophers have imagined. The planets are 
the products of light. Light represents " the 
garden," the sun represents the "grain of mus- 
tard-seed," "the fowls of the air" represent the 



70 A FMlosop/iy of Heaven^ 

angels of God. The heavens have thus Ibeen 
grown and produced by the power of light, un- 
der the all-wise and omnipotent superintend- 
ence of God and His mighty angels. 

If Christ had given the world a true and 
plain explanation of the philosophy of heav- 
en, or even that of earth, in his day, he would 
have been accounted a maniac and impostor, 
and his teachings of holy truth ignored by the 
world. He knew this, and said milk was fit 
for little children. He also rebuked his apos- 
tles because they applied his teachings to 
worldly things. His apostles were continually 
misunderstanding him also ; but he knew 
abundantly well that succeeding generations 
would acknowledge his divinity, and that sci- 
ence would corroborate his teachings. He was 
talking of " light" and the " children of light" 
after he made these similitudes, and so were 
his apostles ; and there was a very powerful 
meaning attached to such remarks ; and if our 
learned divines would endeavor to ferret out 
such, instead of disputing over senseless 
creeds and meaningless ceremonies, they 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 71 

would promote truth and Christianity much 
more. 

Paul, in the first chapter of his epistle to the 
Romans, says, ^'For the invisible things of 
Him from the creation of the world are clearly 
seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even His eternal power and Godhead." 
So we may infer that God and His infinite 
power can be understood by man, and that 
science will develop matters of the most as- 
tounding nature, and that before many centu- 
ries, or years, even. 

Some kinds of light beget or produce com- 
ets. These bodies must be composed of mat- 
ter quite different from our earth, and in all 
probability of much finer material or texture ; 
and perhaps there are other bodies still finer. 
Some philosophers affirm, or conjecture at 
least, that these comets are merely nebulous 
matter, or will-o'-the-wisps. If such be the fact, 
then so are all the planets and the heavenly 
bodies, and the earth is one vast grave-yard, 
and there is no resurrection or place for any 
beyond the tomb. Such is, to say the least of 



73 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

it, sheer nonsense. Comets are corporeal, tan- 
gible bodies, of excellent order; and wliile 
they are driven by luminaries situated tril- 
lions, quadrillions, and perhaps more miles 
from our sun, they are nearly independent of 
our solar system — only dependent enough to 
be compelled to submit to slight repulsions of 
the planets and sun. Their eccentric orbits 
may be explained from the fact that they 
merely seek strata of light suited to their den- 
sities, and are repulsed by the direct and re- 
flected light of the sun and planets. 

If philosophers' opinions are correct at pres- 
ent, it is a mystery how these comets can pass 
through our system without being attracted to 
the sun or planets, without attracting some of 
the planets and carrying them off, and thus 
producing a general disaster among the heav- 
enly bodies. Consequently, some suppose 
them to be mere vapors, or nebulous matter ; 
while others assert that, if such were the fact, 
they approach so close to the sun, they would 
be dissipated or burned up. Neither hypoth- 
esis is true, for the sun is not a mass of liquid 



Earthy and the Millenium, 73 

fire. It has one of the most equable, pleasant, 
invigorating, and glorious temperatures of any 
sphere in our solar system ; and, instead of 
destroying, prolongs life and happiness for- 
ever. Fire, combustion, or ignition, is not an 
element any more than gunpowder, nitro-giy- 
cerine, or other explosives, and deserves to be 
stricken from the number of elements, and 
light substituted in its stead. Light is a pro- 
ducer; ignition, fire, and combustion, and also 
heat and cold, are destroyers. They are all 
quite diff'erent. 

If these large comets have no existence only 
as vapors or v^ill-o'-the-wisps, then there are 
no planets or heavens above ; all that we see 
is a mere delusion of the brain, and the tomb 
must soon engulf us all, for want of a heaven 
In which to resurrect us. But such is not the 
truth ; the heavens are visible to us, and, as 
sure as we live, move and breathe, we must 
and will be resurrected from the dead to them, 
and there rewarded according to our deeds. 

Astronomy is a science of the most profound 
nature, and as yet is quite imperfectly under- 
6 



74 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

stood. God's wisdom and omnipotence are 
embraced within its precincts. He lias con- 
founded tlie wisdom of the wise in various 
ways. Our wisdom is merely foolishness com- 
pared to His ; yet much can still be learned of 
His ways and laws. The philosophy I have 
advanced is true, and the motions of the heav- 
enly bodies prove it ; reason approves it, and 
then it has the sanction of the Bible and 
Christ, and sooner or later must become the 
basis of all true astronomy. I cannot, here, 
pursue it in detail, from the fact that I write 
without even a single copy of any work on 
astronomy, and have not read any since leav- 
ing school, upwards of twenty-five years ago \ 
consequently, I would subject myself to nu- 
merous errors and criticisms, and may have 
done so already. I give merely the outlines^ 
and, with what assistance others will give me^ 
I promise to substantiate my philosophy. The 
details of it I will leave to others more learned 
than myself. 

But this one fact is a matter of certainty : — 
Light is a grand, powerful, and glorious ele- 



Earthy and the Millennium, 75 

ment, that supports the heavenly bodies and 
drives them in their orbits and on their axes. 
Philosophers can study and ascertain its na- 
ture with but little difficulty. They must first 
ascertain the true equator of the sun, then its 
poles, and then the position of our earth rela- 
tive to its equator and poles ; then the motions 
of the planets must be carefully noted, with all 
due regard to their annual and diurnal paral- 
laxes, and the task is accomplished. 

If the movements of the planets belonging 
to our solar system do not prove my philoso- 
phy on the supposition of the stronger light 
issuing from the equatorial regions of the sun, 
then try it on the supposition that it issues 
with equal power and revolves in all direc- 
tions alike ; for reason teaches that it is im- 
possible for the sun, moon and stars to hang 
in a void space without any support. New- 
ton's theory of nice equilibrium was quite 
learned enough for his day, but is entirely too 
rickety for the present. There is no other ele- 
ment to sustain them but light; and if the 
heavens are not supported by light, then they 
are without support. 



76 A Philosophy of Heaven 

But Grod created tliem with the utmost wis- 
dom. Behold, what wisdom He has displayed 
in the creation of man, and the animals, and 
even the little insects and corals! and then 
answer if it is probable that He has created 
His own habitation, the heavens, in a manner 
which makes it subject to wreck or disaster. 
Not by any means. He has created the heav- 
ens for His own honor, and for the enjoyment 
of His angels ; and will finally resurrect all 
the mortality of earth, whether rational or irra- 
tional, to them. 

The heavens are as strong as an arch. If a 
power sufficient could be applied to them, the 
result would prove such to be the truth. All 
the planets are at certain places because no 
other is adapted to tlieir density ; and so of the 
sun and the fixed stars, all are at their proper 
places, and force each other there, 'and thus 
form a net-work of architecture through eter- 
nity. 

How light emanates, or the cause of its issu- 
ing, from the sun. is a profound mystery. The 
sun is to our solar system just what the heart 
is to the corporeal body, only more so. We 



Earthy and the Millennium, 11 

have life within ns, but cannot tell why, other 
than God wills it so; so we know the sun gives 
light, but we do not know why, other than God 
made it so. Man cannot understand his own 
system, not even the little ants. The heavens 
are before him, yet he is confounded and forced 
to acknowledge his inferiority, and that he has 
his existence on an inferior planet. He sees 
and knows that he is not in his proper sphere, 
and casts his eyes heavenward for a better one. 
In this he will not be disappointed, for in 
heaven there is peace, love, happiness, and life 
eternal, for all. The strife, pain, desire, mis- 
ery, and death, which characterize this earth, 
are there unknown. All the rest of the heav- 
enly bodies are of the most delightful temper- 
ature, and, instead of destroying life, prolong 
it indefinitely. But the climate of the sun is 
the most pleasant, cheerful, and invigorating, 
of all ; there the tree and fountain of life prob- 
ably exist. 

The planets, with the exception of this earth, 
are all as clean and neatly polished, by the 
sweeping light of the sun, as refined gold, and 



78 A Plulosopliy of Heaven^ 

are just as clean and pure as the sun's rays. 
An angel miglit truly inhabit them and wor- 
ship God through all eternity without having 
a stain or speck on his snow-white garments, 
because the sun's rays are grand polishers and 
beautitiers ; hence angels are models of beauty 
and goodness. This would have been the con- 
dition of the earth if it had not been for the 
transgression of God's holy and just laws. It 
received a curse from God, and one of His vials 
of wrath was poured out on it in the shape of 
our atmosphere, which destroyed its peace, its 
beauty, its holiness, its life eternal, and caused 
it to be forsaken of God and the angels. We 
shall see presently that it is the proximate 
cause of all the ills of this earth, and that peace 
and life would forever reign if not prevented 
by the strife and changes produced by it. 
Moses says that all was good in the begin- 
ning, and, as we have no information of any 
curse existing against any of the planets ex- 
cept this earth, it must be taken for truth that 
all are yet good, with the one exception. Con- 
sequently, it may well be asserted that our at- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 79 

mospliere, or one of like nature, does not exist 
on any other celestial body. Certain com- 
pounds may exist there of similar appearance 
to it, but they are not of the same destroying- 
nature, but quite the reverse ; and instead of 
destroying life and begetting want and misery, 
prolong it indefinitely, and beget independ- 
ence and endless joy and happiness. 

All the planets are inhabited by superior 
beings, and so is the sun inhabited by a high 
order of beings, probably by Christ and his 
elect, as he was continually admonishing his 
apostles and disciples that they were to be- 
come the children of light. Many philosophers 
will here say that they would be burned up ; 
but not by any means. Light is an element ; 
fire is a destroyer that does not exist aside 
from this earth. An individual, like us, might 
safely stand on the sun, if otherwise adapted 
for the experiment, and not a hair of his head 
or a particle of his body would be singed. He 
might also pass through the centre of this 
earth, aside from volcanic burnings near its 
surface, and not be singed in the least. He 



80 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

would in neither instance experience the least 
unpleasantness from heat or cold, because they 
are merely properties of the atmosphere. This 
will be more fully explained in the next chap- 
ter„ 

Philosophers have made, and are still mak 
ing, discoveries relative to the exterior appear- 
ance of the planets. It is affirmed by them 
that some of the planets — Mars, for instance — 
have seas, inlets, and land, as this earth. With- 
out doubt. Mars and all the other planets are 
beautifully diversified in their surfaces, so as 
to be exquisitely and even enchantingly inter- 
esting and pleasing, but it is not probable that 
that this is caused or made so by water and 
land. Moses says there was a time when ''God 
had not caused it to rain upon the earth,'' and» 
in substance, that the plants and herbs were 
before they grew. Such must be the condition 
of the other planets. There are no seasons of 
heat, cold, clouds, rain, &c., upon them, be- 
cause there is no atmosphere to cause such 
phenomena. Wherever a compound of oxygen 
and nitrogen, as our atmosphere, exists, there 



Earthy and the Millennium, 81 

sorrow, strife, pain, and death, reign. Sucli do 
not exist in the heavenly bodies, if we are to 
believe the Bible. Even here on this earth, 
God could transform it into a paradise by 
pouring out on it a vial of the '^ water of life,'' 
or by planting the "tree of life" upon it ; bu(; 
this is not His purpose. The creatures of 
earth are too low and degraded to live forever ; 
hence it is His purpose to reform and regene- 
rate us all through death and the resurrection, 
according to our works, into a high and exalt- 
ed condition in heaven. As it is written, "Eye 
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have en- 
tered into the heart of man, the things which 
God hath prepared for them that love Him." 

These facts, however, do not prove that the 
planets, or even the sun, are not invested with 
the most beautiful scenery. They are all pro- 
bably so invested, and are not a dull monoto- 
ny. Angels are not mere insipid, mournful, 
and taciturn beings, but possess tastes for va- 
riety and pleasure as well as mankind: and 
we may expect to recognize our departed pro- 
genitors, relatives and friends in heaven, just 



82 A Fhilosophy of Heaven^ 

precisely as we do on this earth ; only, in- 
stead of finding them in want, desire, and 
misery, we will find them in affluence, inde- 
pendence, joy, and life eternal, as their works 
have deserved ; but all rewarded with a hun- 
dred-fold more glory and abundance than they 
expected. Hence all is love, peace, and joy; 
for God has dealt nobly and bountifully with 
all. He has pleased the sinner and the righte- 
ous. To whom little was given, little w^as re- 
quired ; to whom much was given, much was 
required. Even the hypocrites and murderers 
would naturally have chosen the very posi- 
tions assigned them, degraded as they are, be- 
cause such are adapted to their natures and 
propensities. The tree and fountain of life is 
there free and accessible to all, and therefore 
death cannot reign overany. 

It makes not the least difference that some 
planets do not revolve swiftly on their axes, 
so as- to give short days and nights ; they are 
not the subjects of heat and cold as our earth. 
There is sufficient light on all the planets from 
some luminary. The heavens are all illumin- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 83 

ated in the most refulgent manner. The in- 
habitants of Jupiter and Saturn, though hun- 
dreds of millions of miles farther from the sun 
than we, are in the most agreeable and de- 
lightful temperature, unless they are per- 
chance surrounded with a boisterous atmos- 
phere like our earth — which cannot be the 
case, unless they are laboring under the dis- 
pleasure of God. Moses forbade that idea 
when he said that God saw that it was good. 
All was good when created, but, as before ob- 
served, the earth has been accursed of God 
that insubordination might be punished and 
offenders regenerated. 

As to the composition of the heavenly bod- 
ies, except the earth, it would be vain in man 
to speak. It may be affirmed, however, that 
they are composed of matter of some nature, 
and even of a very fine, or what we would term 
a precious nature. St. John, in liis description 
of the New Jerusalem in the 21st chapter of 
Revelations, mentions some of these materials, 
which are verv fine and precious, and much to 
be desired. Without doubt some of the heav- 



84 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

enly bodies are of the most splendid descrip- 
tion, far excelling our conception. Even our 
earth — this dusty, muddy, filthy, disagreeable 
globe of ours — if not subjected to the storms 
and strife of its atmosphere, would become as 
neat and clean as the sunbeams of heaven : 
they, in their flight and friction on it, would 
soon polish it as neatly as refined gold. Its 
water would sink by gravitation, as there would 
be no atmosphere to absorb it, and obscure the 
sunbeams, and cause rain ; and it would also 
become solid, as glass or diamond. Thirst, 
pain, desire, hunger, decay, death, &c., are 
caused proximately by the air. 

Heaven is not a breathing world like this. 
These breathing convulsions, or struggling 
between life and death, between heaven and 
earth, do not exist there. There life is glori- 
ous, perfect, and eternal. Mankind draw their 
notions of heaven from the visible objects of 
earth, and it may seem impossible to some that 
they could live without breathing ; yet God 
teaches us this to oar eyes, for w^ see creatures 
and animals living without breathing. Man's 



Eartli^ and the Millennium, 85 

conceptions of heaven are derived too much 
from earthly objects. When he praises God 
by speaking or singing, he does so by refer- 
ence to these objects; hence he is led away 
into idolatry. 

As to the particular nature of angelic life 
and our heavenly Creator, we must be content 
to wait till God in His mercy and power shall 
develop the same to us in the resurrection; — 
that is a matter beyond human conception if 
even seen. But from the developments of their 
works in the starry heavens, and the sublime 
wisdom and power displayed in their creation 
and motions, it is patent to all that their exist- 
ence is glorious and sublime. We may also 
safely conclude that our future state in heaven 
will far excel anything we now expect, if we 
but do right and respect God and His just laws. 
The Bible teaches this doctrine. John tlie Bap- 
tist was, without doubt, a very powerful and 
great man, yet Christ said the least in heaven 
was greater than he. St. John in Revelations 
speaks of ''angels" and ''powerful angels." 
Christ speaks of "life" and "life more abund- 



86 A FJiilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

antly''; he speaks of ''damnation'^ and "dam- 
nation the greater." It may, therefore, be very 
properly inferred that the character and grades 
of happiness and glory of the angels of heaven 
must be different, and apportioned according 
to their merits or demerits. These works will 
speak for themselves ; no witnesses will be 
necessary. Our works and deeds, whether they 
be good or evil, will be placarded on us as in- 
delibly as the mark of Cain, and with the same 
truth and certainty that like begets like, and 
that everything yields and brings forth after 
its own kind. Deception is thereby rendered 
impossible, and neither God nor the hosts in 
heaven can be deceived. 

Heaven has abundant room for all. It is 
teeming with life everlasting, its joys are un- 
bounded,, and its happiness complete and all- 
enduring. It is irrational to believe that God 
would permit any being, however small or in- 
significant, to suffer and die in this world, with- 
out some grand purpose. This purpose is re- 
generation and the resurrection to heaven. In 
due time God will restore us and not only us. 



Earth, and the Millennmm. 87 

but every living creature of earth, whether ra- 
tional as man, or irrational as the beasts, and 
possessing His spirit of life, to His eternal and 
happy throne in heaven, where He will reward 
them all as their works shall be. We may 
expect to meet there not only our departed 
relatives and friends, but also our horse, cow, 
dog, and other domestic animals and fowls, 
and all other creatures of this earth that have 
enjoyed life on earth. Many of us, no doubt, 
will meet these irrational creatures to our eter- 
nal shame for the barbarity and cruelty we 
have practised towards them while on earth. 
All the irrational creatures of earth must final- 
ly appear in heaven and enjoy its blessings. 
Moses says they were in the beginning pro- 
nounced good, and there is no substantial rea- 
son why they should not be so again. 

If scriptural authority is required to prove 
the resurrection of the irrational creatures of 
this earth, such as beasts, birds, fishes, &c., it 
may be found in the fifth chapter of Revela- 
tions, where St. John, in speakirg of what he 
saw in his vision of the throne of God, says : 



88 A- PMlosopTiy of Beaveii, 

^' And every creature which is in heaven, and 
on the earth, and under the earth, and such as 
are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard 
I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, andj 
power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the 
throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever." 
Such language, when corroborated by reason, 
justice, and benevolence, should be decisive 
of the question. These matters will present 
themselves again when we come to examine 
the evidence of the resurrection from the dead. 
Let us not, therefore, be so selfish and cruel 
as to fancy a small limited space and call it 
heaven, and claim it exclusively for ourselves, 
and condemn all other of God's creatures to a 
fiery hell ; but let us rather claim that God's 
whole universe is heaven, and that it contains 
ample room, enjoyment, and happiness, not 
only for us and our particular friends, but for 
our neighbor and all the creatures of this 
world. This supposition is the more just, 
righteous, and intellectual, and w^e are not by 
any means thus impugning either the omnipo- 
tence, justice or benevolence of an impartial 



Earthy and the Millennium, 89 

God. He can amply reward or degrade us be- 
fore His tlirone, and will do so, as our works 
and conduct in life deserve. ''Every man's 
work shall be made manifest : for the day shall 
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; 
and the fire shall ivj every man's work, of 
what sort it is. If any man's work abide which 
he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a re- 
v/ard. If any man's work shall be burned, he 
shall sufi^er loss : but he himself shall be saved ; 
yet so as by fire." (1 Cor. iii. 13-15.) Here, 
the fire alluded to is the splendor of heaven 
that will be exhibited to us in the resurrec- 
tion, which will make manifest all our works, 
and prove them, whether they be good or evil. 
If the works are good, they will receive a chief 
reward ; if bad, they will be burned, that is, 
discarded as unworthy of a great reward. The 
individual is saved, however, but suff*ers loss ; 
which clearly proves that all will be saved in 
heaven, though many will suff'er loss by im- 
perfect and wicked works. Tliis also proves 
that our future estate is built upon our works 
here on earth ; and unless we have numerous 
good works to exhibit in the resurrection, our 
7 



90 A Philosophy of Hearken. 

existence and enjoyment in heaven will be 
meagre indeed. 

The subject of rewards and punishments is 
frequently alluded to in the Scriptures, and 
St. John in the 14th chapter of Revelations 
locates this dreadful ''hell" which he had 
preached to the people of earth ; and he lo- 
cates it in the presence of the holy angels and 
the Lamb, or before the throne of God. Christ, 
in his parable of Lazarus and the rich man, 
locates the rich man in the presence of Abra- 
ham and the angels, within talking distance. 
The words "impassable gulf" and "far off" are 
mere flgares of speech denoting rank, w^liich 
could not be bettered or altered. Thirst rep- 
resents a consciousness of inferiority. This 
punishment consists of degradation and shame, 
and fire, &c., represent the consciousness of it. 
This matter will, however, be reserved for 
another chapter. 

We will now proceed to take a view of the 
situation and condition of our earth, in doing 
which many of the subjects contained in this 
chapter will recur and again become the sub- 
ject of comment. 



Earthy and the Millennium. 91 



CHAPTER III. 

THE EARTH. 

ITS CREATIOK— ITS FORM AiO) REVOLUTIONS— THE BEGDraTNG— ITS 
CURSE — CREATION OF SJAX — STRIFE OF EARTH CAUSED BY OUR 
ATMOSPHERE — ALL THE ILLS OF EARTH ASCRIBABLE TO IT — FIRE 
— ^HEAT — COLD — STRIFE OF NATURE — NEW THEORY OF THE SEA- 
SONS — LIFE — DEATH — TRUE CONDITION OF THE EARTH AND ITS 
INHABITANTS — THEIR FALLEN CONDITION— THEIR EVIL NATURE 
— god's IMPARTIAL ADISIINISTRATION — NO SPECIAL PROVIDENCES 
— THE EARTH FORSAKEN OF GOD AND THE ANGELS — THE LAW 
OF GOD — CHRIST, HIS NATURE AND TEACHINGS — MISERIES OF 
EARTH AND THEIR CAUSE — FORMER MILLENNIUMS. 

The Earth is a large globe or sphere, and is 
about twenty-five thousand miles in circum- 
ference and nearly eight thousand miles in 
diameter. The rotundity of the earth is proved 
by its shadow on the moon during an eclipse, 
and also by travellers performing journeys 
around it. It is affirmed by learned men that 
its diameter is greater on a line passing 
through it at the equator than at the poles, 
or from pole to pole. This causes it to be ob- 
late or flattened at the poles. They explain 
this by asserting that it was once in a liquid 
or molten state, and that the earth's velocity 



92 A Fhilosophy of Heaven^ 

in its diurnal revolution is and was greater at 
tlie equator than at tlie poles, tlius causing a 
force that would extend it at the equator and 
contract it at the poles. 

Moses says that in the beginning the earth 
was without form and void. This gives philos- 
ophers a wide range for speculation ; but very 
probably when the earth was created it was in 
a liquid state, and most probably was gradu- 
ally formed by the power of light from the sun. 
Mankind are too apt to imagine that fire is the 
chief agent of every great work. They ransack 
their brains to see if they cannot discover its 
agency or existence in every material work of 
God. The ancients claimed that God was a 
consuming fire. 

The earth is said to revolve around the sun 
annually, in an elliptic orbit, at the distance of 
ninety-five millions of miles from it. It also 
turns on its axis once in twenty-four hours, 
causing day and night. These facts are so 
well established by astronomy that they need 
no further proof. The starry heavens demon- 
strate these important facts, and also that the 



Earthy and the Millennium, 93 

earth is only a planet like some of the stars of 
the firmament. The fixed stars are trillions of 
miles from the earth 5 and it is hardly conceiva- 
ble that they should perform a journey around 
the earth in twenty-four hours. Reason for- 
bids the idea, and we must content ourselves 
with the received theory that the earth is one 
of the planets of the universal heavens, per- 
forming like ofiices and journeys as these, with 
the exception spoken of by Moses, namely, 
that it is accursed of God for man's trangres- 
sion. 

i\s to the materials of the earth, they are 
said to be fire, air, earth, and water. These 
are called the four great elements of the earth, 
and, of course, include the animal, vegetable, 
and mineral kingdoms. These several king- 
doms are properties of earth, while heat, cold, 
animal life, and death, are properties of the 
air: they, however, are conjoined with the 
earth, as spiritual life is to animal life. 

As to the origin of the heavens and the earth, 
it is a matter beyond conception. Eternity is 
incomprehensible. When, where, and by what 



94 A Philosopliy of Heaven^ 

means, the Almighty created the heavens and 
the earth is a profound and unsearchable mys- 
tery. Moses a^ssigns them a beginning, but 
man cannot conceive a time and state of aflairs 
when there was no beginning or creation of 
the heavens and earth. The heavens and the 
earth are the attributes of eternity, and it might 
well be affirmed that there never was the time 
when they did not exist. There is no contra- 
diction in this assertion with the Mosaic ac- 
count as recorded in the first chapters of Gen- 
esis. Moses, in speaking of the creation of the 
heavens and the earth, had no reference to so- 
lar or lunar time as it is now used in the world. 
He represents the earth as existing before the 
sun, moon, and stars, gave forth their light, by 
which we compute time. Also, in the 1st chap- 
ter of Genesis, he gives an account of the crea- 
tion of man ; he says they were created ''male 
and female," and also in God's '' own image," 
and that they had dominion over the earth. 
He also affirms that God blessed them, and 
gave them '' dominion over the fish of the sea, 
L^ind over the fowl of the air, and over every 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 



95 



living thing that moveth npon the earth." The 
phrase '' man in our image " is quite compre- 
hensive as used by Moses, and embraces not 
only male and female, but the whole hum.an 
family, and cannot by any fair interpretation 
have the least reference to Adam and Eve. 
Earth was then in all its primeval purity, and 
was free from sin, strife, desire, pain, decrepi- 
tude, and death, and probably had so existed 
eternally. It had not then received its curse, 
and was the ideal of Paradise — was good, holy, 
just, happy, and suited for the enjoyment of 
angels, and even its Creator. 

Now in the next chapter Moses gives anoth- 
er account of the creation of man, w^hich was 
Adam and Eve. These two personages are 
entirely different from those spoken of by him 
in the first chapter, as I shall show hereafter 
that they were placed in the garden of Eden, 
which could not have been on earth, and were 
driven from the garden to till the ground, from 
whence Adam was taken. This, Moses asserts, 
was done for his transgression ; which is highly 
reasonable and proper, for God in His mercy 



96 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

would certainly not inflict snfi'ering and pun- 
ishment on any creature unless for the most 
potent and just reasons. Moses, therefore, 
only attempted to give an account of the world 
since the days of Adam, and the probability is 
that the whole narrative, which is so graphic, 
is a mere figure or symbol, and that the events 
represented occupied countless years and cen- 
turies. 

Before the earth received its curse, peace 
must have reigned on it, and consequently its 
surface was not subject to strife, disaster, and 
change. These changes result from the mo- 
tions of the atmosphere, and for the most part 
are very gradual. The Chinese wall, the pyra- 
mids of Egypt, and other works of man, are 
known to have existed and withstood these mu- 
tations for thousands of years, with but little 
change in the surface of the earth near them. 
All changes, dirt, filth, and impurities of this 
earth, are due to the action of our atmosphere 
in causing strife ; but the pyramids of Egypt 
and the Chinese wall prove that these changes 
are very gradual. These works must yet be 



Earthy and the Millennium, 



97 



ground to dust by the strife of the atmosphere. 
We must therefore admit that immense time 
has been occupied in causing these changes, 
and that Moses had no reference to time as now 
used by mankind ; he was simply endeavour- 
ing to teach spiritual matters by figures of 
speech, and therefore had resort to things of 
earth. 

Geologists advance various theories respect- 
ing the formation of the earth. Some contend 
for an aqueous origin ; that is, that water pre- 
dominated, and that the earthy matter, as 
rocks, soils, minerals, &c., are the offspring of 
water. Others contend that the earth was 
originally in a liquid state caused by heat, 
and has been gradually cooling down ; that fire 
predominates at the central portion of the 
earth, causing the phenomenon of the surface : 
this is called the igneous theory. They are 
mere theories advanced to explain the inequal- 
ities of the earth's surface, its formations, 
strata, dislocations, &C7 The earth has never 
been penetrated very low or far beneath its 
surface, and the mysteries beneath are and 



98 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

must remain mysteries more profound than 
those above. Those above have the advantage 
of light, vv^hile those beneath have not. 

It cannot be contended that God in His in- 
finite power and wisdom would need either the 
agency of fire or w^ater in constructing a world, 
or that either of them are the chief agents of 
his vast creation. It would have been just as 
easy for Him to have used rubies, polished 
gold, or emeralds, as fire, water, dirt, or other 
substances appearing in its composition. It 
would have been just as easy for Him to have 
«o organized man, and the creatures of earth, 
that they would have been holy and happy 
creatures, exempt from strife, pain, sin, desire, 
hunger, thirst, disease, and death. But this is 
not the case, and the very fact that it is not 
is highly suggestive that there is something 
wrong in man and the creatures of earth. 

It would be highly absurd to suppose that 
this earth has a magazine of fire at its centre, 
and possesses the elements of its own destruc- 
tion. There are some few phenomena that 
philosophers cite as sustaining such a theo- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 99 

ry ; one of tliese is the rolling or waving sen- 
sations produced by earthquakes. Some allege 
that the surface of the earth is a mere crust or 
integument, covering a fiery, molten mass be- 
neath; that this crust is not very deep, and 
becomes more of a fluid the farther we recede 
from the surface ; and that when the molten 
mass below is disturbed, it causes upheavals 
and the rolling or waving sensations felt dur- 
ing earthquakes. If this molten mass exists 
there, their philosophy would be good ; but 
that is an assertion which no philosopher can 
establish. It admits of no demonstration, and 
is besides contrary to reason, and impugns the 
benevolence and wisdom of God. Besides, 
these rolling sensations experienced during 
earthquakes could as well be produced by the 
atmosphere being forced into or between the 
strata of earth or layers of rocks, and by the 
steam of volcanoes, as by the molten mass 
supposed to exist below. Once set the sup- 
posed igneous fluid in motion, when would its 
motions cease? In case the motion is pro- 
duced by the atmosphere, it would cease as 



100 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

quick as it could escape tlirougli the fissures 
of the earth — which accords with the truth in 
such cases. 

There is, no doubt, much combustible mat- 
ter within the bowels of the earth, but not 
enough to effect its destruction even if it were 
ignited. It can only be ignited by the atmos- 
phere, and as the atmosphere does not extend 
very deep, or penetrate the earth's surface 
very far, no great calamity will ever befall the 
earth. Volcanoes may destroy small areas, but 
no great portion of the earth can be aflTected by 
them, or by earthquakes. The combustible 
materials of the earth and the atmosphere, if 
brought in contact and then ignited by fire, 
would be insufficient to accomplish the earth's 
destruction. Animal and vegetable life would, 
however, be extinguished, corruption banish- 
ed, and the earth purified for a higher enjoy- 
ment and order of beings. This will not be 
done, however; for such as it is, it is just as 
God wishes it. Moses informs us that God de- 
stroyed the creatures of the earth once, except 
what He preserved through Noah and his ark ; 



Earthy and the Millenniuin. 101 

and liow easy to nave effected the annihilation 
of IMoah and those saved in the ark, if it was 
His pleasure that the world and its inhabitants 
should be remodelled ! The truth is, it exists 
here for the most wise and beneficent purpos- 
es, the chief of which are to teach lessons of 
adoration, repentance, humility, justice, love, 
charity, &c., and for regeneration into heaven. 
But let the earth be made when and how- 
. ever it may, and be composed of whatever it 
may, the chief cause of all the ills that its 
mortality is subjected to exists in our atmos- 
phere. This elastic and transparent substance 
surrounding the earth, as the learned inform 
us, is composed of oxygen and nitrogen. There 
are some few other substances that enter into 
its composition, but they are, perhaps, only its 
impurities. Our atmosphere cannot extend 
very far above the surface of tlie earth, on the 
average not over forty-five miles. It possesses 
weight and great elasticity. Heat and cold, 
also, are properties of the atmosphere, and I 
affirm cannot anywhere exist unless the body 
or object is subjected to, or under the influence 



102 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

of, the atmosphere. The atmosj)here pene- 
trates and exerts an influence on the earth to 
a great depth — the deeper in the earth the less, 
until its influence is entirely annihilated ; and 
so of the horizon above, the higher you go, or 
farther from the earth's surface, the less its in- 
fluence, till you reach a distance of forty-five 
miles at the equator, or from thirty-nine to 
forty-two miles at the poles of the earth, when 
it entirely ceases. We are thus buried in a 
deep ocean of air, and live and can only enjoy 
carnal life in it. Without its limits and influ^ 
ence, no mortality can survive for any consid- 
erable period. While its properties sustain 
animal life for a season, it carries within it 
heat and cold, or heat and cold result from the 
action of the sun and other heavenly bodies 
on it ; and these are the producers or genera- 
tors of animal' and vegetable life, disease, de- 
sire, pain, hunger, death, &c= 

The seasons of the year — as sj)ring, summer, 
fall, and winter, or seasons of heat and cold — ► 
are generally ascribed to the heat of the sun. 
Astronomers contend that the sun is a fiery 



Earthy and the Millennium. 103 

mass, and imparts heat to the earth by its 
rays ; that in winter the rays of the sun fall 
obliquely on the earth, owing to the inclina- 
tion of the earth's axis, and the fact that it 
does not shine on the earth, or particular part 
of it subject to winter, as long in winter as in 
summer, and consequently cannot impart as 
much heat. If the sun possesses the heat 
ascribed to it by them, their philosophy, of 
course, is true. But the reader will remember 
that I have already denied this, as being at 
variance with the benevolence and goodness 
of the Creator and the uniformity of His laws ; 
and I must again be allowed to assert that 
heat and cold are properties of our atmos- 
phere, and can exist only in it and by its influ- 
ence ; and that our air is an element belonging 
exclusively to the earth and does not (with 
its poisonous absorptions, strife, changes, dis- 
ease, and death) exist around the heavenly 
bodies, spreading its evils over them. 

The seasons of the year result from the ac 
tion of the sun and other celestial bodies or; 
the atmosphere. Its chief property is cold 



104 A Philosopliy of Heaven, 

and the cold of the earth would be insui^port- 
able if it was not counteracted by the influ 
ence of the celestial bodies. These impart 
heat to onr atmosphere, not by any intrinsic 
heat they j)ossess. but by penetrating the 
same and making war upon them, causing 
strife and friction among its particles, and thus 
producing the heat the world enjoys. Xow, 
as we ascend upwards the specific gravity and 
density of the atmosphere diminishes ; the 
component parts are more sparse and this 
strife and friction become less, and conse- 
quently the cold increases and the heat dimin- 
ishes. At the distance of five miles from the 
surface, even at the equator, it is immensely 
cold; at the distance of ten miles from the 
surface animal life would instantly be extin- 
guished by cold, because the strife and fric- 
tion produced by the rays of the sun and heav 
enlj" bodies would be so greatly diminished 
as to produce little heat. However, as strife 
ceases peace would reign, and at the distance 
of ten miles from the surface there would be 
no clouds., the sun would shine in sublime bril- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 105 

liancy, the motion of the atmosphere would 
scarcely be perceptible, and we would almost 
be ready to exclaim that peace reigned ; but 
no true peace reigns in our atmosphere ; al- 
though strife is not perceptible to us, yet it 
exists as far as it extends. The air at the dis- 
tance of ten or even six or seven miles from 
the earth would be too rare and light for even 
a falcon or sparrow to fly in ; hence, if by any 
means they could be forced that high, they 
would fall down to the earth as dead ; sound 
would also cease to a great degree ; while the 
report of a cannon that could be heard twenty 
miles at the earth's surface, could not probably 
be heard one mile if made ten miles above it. 
But the reader will say that this does not 
explain the causes of the seasons ; but it does, 
if you will but aj)ply the rules that philoso- 
phers commonly teach. That is, first apply 
the rule that the centrifugal force at the earth's 
surface is much greater at the equator than at 
the poles, and consequently that by its force 
and tension the greatest bulk of the earth is 
under the equator: now, if this centrifugal 
8 



106 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

force had power to force the greater part of 
the cohesive matter of earth under the equa- 
tor, how much more power has it to force our 
elastic atmosphere there ! Consequently, I 
have once affirmed that the atmosphere is 
much deeper and heavier and more dense at 
the equator than at the poles of the earth. If 
the reader will accept this position as true, he 
may then explain the causes of winter, sum- 
mer, spring, and fall, just as our philosophers, 
to-wit, by the inclination of the earth's axis, 
causing the bulk of the atmosphere (and bulk 
of strife and heat) to lie at the tropic of Can- 
cer, or twenty-three and a half degrees north 
of the equator, at the summer solstice ; and to 
lie at the tropic of Capricorn, or the same dis- 
tance south of the equator, at the winter sol- 
stice. 

JSTow^, if I am correct as to my theory of heat 
and cold, animal and vegetable life cannot ex- 
ist at the north and south poles, from the fact 
that the atmosphere is too light ; so much of 
it is thrown under the equator by the rotary 
motion of the earth that it has not sufficient 



Earthy and the Millenniuvi, 107 

depth and density to sustain either animal or 
vegetable life. Everything, no doubt, would 
look very quiet and peaceable, for there is but 
little strife in nature at those points. 

Of course, the sun's rays by the agency of 
the air make war on the earth's surface and 
everything that is impure, causing strife, fric- 
tion, and heat, amidst their impure particles ; 
and this strife, heat, and friction, also result 
if, by the inclination of the earth's axis, they 
strike the earth obliquely. The sun's rays do 
not possess heat, and heat and cold do not ex- 
ist except by medium of the atmosphere. 
With a powerful double convex lens the sun's 
rays can be made to produce a poAverful heat, 
but it is caused by great friction of the parti- 
cles of the air. It will not produce heat in a va- 
cuum, or place from which the air is excluded. 
Just as far as air extends, there heat may be 
produced. Some substances also conduct heat, 
as the metals, &c.; but heat cannot be created 
solely by the properties of the atmosphere. It 
cannot exist at the centre of the earth nor 
above our atmosphere. The snow-clad moun- 



108 A FhilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

tains near the equator are living witnesses thai 
the sun's rays do not possess heat; otherwise 
they could not retain ice on them all the year 
round. The theory has been that the earth is 
very hot at its centre ; that the temperature 
gradually diminishes as the surface is ap- 
proached, and that heat is not conveyed up to 
these high peaks from the earth owing to their 
altitude and peakedness. 

Cold is a property of the air, and so is heat , 
and aside from it all is of the most equable 
and delightful temperature, giving and pro- 
moting life eternally. Cold and heat cannot 
impart pain to the senses except by the atmos- 
phere, while light is life-giving and life-pro- 
moting; hence life is eternal aside from this 
earth. Once admit that heat results from fric- 
tion andT strife produced by the penetration of 
the sun's rays and light of the other celestial 
bodies on our atm^osphere, and that the great- 
est density of the atmosphere is thrown imder 
the sun by the rotary motion of the earth, and 
we then can explain the seasons according to 
the rules of philosophy as now taught. 



Earth.^ and the Millennmm, 109 

I will reiimrk, before dismissing this subject, 
that the barometer is by no means an accurate 
indicator either of altitude, or density of the 
atmosphere. It may attain accuracy in some 
measure, but, from various causes, such as cli- 
matic phenomena, rarefaction by heat near the 
earth's surface, &c., is not perfect. 

We will noAv examine the properties of our 
atmosphere, its abrasions and other effects 
upon the surface of the earth, and we will find 
that carnal life, strife, sin, pain, desire, hun- 
ger, thirst, disease, misery, and death, result 
from its action on the earth and its creatures. 
As to its composition, it has been remarked 
already that it is composed of nitrogen and 
oxygen, and some few other substances which 
are probably absorbed by it and might be 
called impurities. The exact proportion of 
these constituents need not be stated for the 
purposes of this work. The air is transparent, 
possessing specific gravity, together with great 
elasticity and mobility. The application of 
small force will compress it or set it in motion. 
Heat, by its rarefying quality, is the great 



110 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

source of tlie motions of tlie atmosphere. The 
atmosphere also possesses, when in motion, 
great absorptive powers ; when still, it pos- 
sesses none. It is continually absorbing the 
moisture and gases of the earth and sea. It 
also absorbs the moisture from the bodies of 
men and animals — not only from the surface 
of their bodies, but it enters into their lungs 
and stomachs, and prosecutes its work there. 
This action of the air on the skin, stomach, 
lungs, and bowels, is the immediate cause of 
hunger, thirst, desire, pain, death, &c. The air 
is the immediate cause of animal and vegeta- 
ble life; it begets heat, cold, and the seasons; 
it absorbs vapors and produces rain; this, com- 
bined with heat and sunshine, begets vegeta- 
tion; vegetation sustains animal life. There 
could be no animal or vegetable life on earth 
if the air did not exist on it. i\ s the air pro- 
duces vegetation, it also produces desire, &c. 
and hence animal "life results. Animal life 
could not exist without it for any considerable 
length of time. This is true even with the 
fishes and inhabitants of the sea, though they 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 111 

require a much less portion of air than the land 
animals. 

The water itself is impregnated with the at- 
mosphere, and is indebted to it for its liquid- 
ity and mobility ; in other words, if there was 
no air in the water it wo aid cease to flow, and 
would become a solid substance similar in ap- 
pearance to glass. The reader may wish proof 
of this ; if so, Moses in the 1st chapter of Gen- 
esis corroborates it, and so also does scientific 
experiment. Moses writes, ''And the Spirit 
of God moved upon the face of the waters.'- 
The word ''face" here evidently signifies sur- 
face, and from this very assertion of holy writ 
it is not by any means unreasonable for us to 
suppose that the sea and waters of the earth 
were once a solid, as clear, pure, and neat, as 
polished glass, and that they probably covered 
the whole face of the earth. The earth was 
not then surrounded with this atmosphere, and 
consequently had suffered no violence or strife, 
and must have been inhabited by a higher and 
nobler race of beings than it is now. This ac- 
cords with the idea heretofore advanced, that 



112 A PliilosopTiy of Heaven^ 

"man," or the race of beings spoken of by Mo- 
ses in the 1st chapter of Genesis, was not the 
same as Adam and Eve spoken of in the 2nd 
chapter. The first were an angelic people, and 
had great powers, among which was locomo- 
tion and ability to live in and traverse the 
light of heaven, from one part of the heavens 
to another; consequently, they were ordered 
away before any curse was pronounced on 
Adam or the earth. 

The Bible expressly affirms that man (or our 
first parents, Adam, and Eve) and the earth re- 
ceived a curse from God ; observation also 
fully confirms it, and it may safely be afiirmed 
that the earth and its creatures have been 
greatly afi'ected by it and an entire change 
made. The change w^as from pure, holy, inde- 
pendent and happy angels, dwelling and enjoy- 
ing themselves on an emerald sea, where there 
was neither pain, heat, cold, hunger, thirst, 
desire, misery, sorrow, tears, nor death — where 
there was no filth, sin, or corruption — where 
the love of their Creator smiled upon and en- 
lightened their homes, — to the filth, corrup- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 113 

tion, sill, desire, misery, and death, existing 
on the earth, which we see, and the world has 
seen since it has been nnder the displeasure 
of j^imighty God. 

Instead of being a sea of elysian joy and 
happiness, the earth with its elements is now 
one vast whirlpool of destruction, first giving 
animal and vegetable life, and then destroying 
it. It might truly be called the wine-press of 
God's wrath. 

The air we breathe is impure, so is the wa- 
ter we drink and the food we eat. These are 
all substances which, though necessary to sus- 
tain animal life, carry within them, and are 
productive of pain, misery, disease, decrepi- 
tude, and finally death to all living creatures. 
The earth's surface is continually undergoing 
a change, however imperceptible. The things 
of to-day will not be to-morrow. One genera- 
tion appears, and swiftly passes away to give 
place to another, while still another and 
.another succeed each other. This is true both 
of the animal and vegetable kingdoms. The 
mighty oak of the forest is not sufficient to 



114 A PTdlosopliy of Heaven^ 

withstand tlie storms and vicissitudes of earth. 
These changes are so potent that even the gra- 
nite rocks of the hills and mountains become 
affected by them, and exhibit signs of change 
and decomposition. Wherever our atmosphere 
can find an entrance, there it performs its 
Avork, accomplishing at times violently, and at 
times slowly and imperceptibly, its destined 
purpose. 

The atmosphere is, without doubt, the agent 
of all changes on the earth. It employs other 
agents, as heat, cold, water, fire, earth, &c.; but 
it rules and directs them. It owes its power 
to the sun and lights of heaven, xlbstract 
these and it is powerless. The rays of the sun 
and the light of the heavenly bodies penetrate 
our atmosphere, causing strife, friction, and 
heat. This heat rarefies it, and as it becomes 
rarefied it is displaced by a volume of air more 
dense, either from above, below, or laterally ; 
this arises from its great elasticity and mobil- 
ity. The air as it becomes heated and rarefied 
at the equator is superseded and displaced by 
the denser air from the poles or from above, 



Earthy and the Millennium, 115 

but principally from lateral directions. This 
causes wind and sometimes violent hurricanes, 
by which the works of man, and even the mon- 
archs of the forest, tremble and fall, and are 
left a wreck of ruin. When in more gentle 
mood, the air is continually absorbing and 
carrying up vapors, gases, and poisonous par- 
ticles, from the surface of the earth, the va- 
pors become condensed by the electrical power 
of heat and cold, and fall again to the earth in 
the form of rain. This process is continually 
going on. and gives animation to the vegetable 
kingdom. The poisonous properties absorbed 
by the atmosphere are carried about in it, and 
are hurled even into the lungs and stomachs of 
the breathing, eating and drinking creatines 
of the world, causing disease, decay and death. 
It cannot be expected that I should in a work 
like this discuss the principles of aerology or 
climatology to any considerable extent. That 
science is yet in its infancy, and but imper- 
fectly understood by the most learned ; y^X I 
may be allowed to say that much of its phe- 
nomena can be well understood and explained 



116 A Pliilosojpliy of Heaven^ 

if our learned men will set themselves to tlie 
task. It will, perhaps, require the observation 
of centuries to render it anything like perfect ; 
but as science progresses, and the world be- 
comes more populous, it will be a matter of 
more importance to them than to us to under- 
stand this science. Food with our posterity 
will, perhaps, be a matter of much more con- 
cern than to us ; and if we can by any reason- 
able exertions of our own furnish them the 
means of ascertaining excessive wet, drouth, 
heat and cold, or of good and light crop years, 
our christian, duty imperatively requires that 
we should do so. 

From what I have already advanced, the 
reader may infer that my opinion is that the 
climatic changes of the earth are not altogetlier 
ascribabte to the mountain ranges and eleva- 
tions of the earth's surface above the level of 
the sea, and the rotary motion and inclination 
of the earth's axis, but to the movements of 
the heavenly bodies, less or more distant, than 
that the sun has much influence over our cli- 
mate. This position, if correct, can be proven 



I 



Earthy and the Millennium. 



117 



onlj Ibj^ actual observation tlirougli a long pe- 
riod of time, and a faitliful record and compa- 
rison of events. Tlie observation should be 
general and careful. 

The air has caused all the changes we wit- 
ness on earth. It not only effects changes on 
the earth, but it enters at times and places far 
beneath its surface ; there it ignites combusti- 
ble materials, causing a change and destruc- 
tion by that means ; at times, this change, or 
apparent destruction of matter, prej)ares the 
way for the entrance of water into the fiery 
mass ; this precipitates the water into steam, 
which produces volcanoes and earthquakes. 
Wherever air can enter it eftects changes. 

It might very properly be asked in this 
place, why or for what reason mankind and 
the living and breathing creatures of this world 
were surrounded by, or submerged in, this 
deadly element of strife. There is reason for 
it, and Moses was undoubted!}^ correct when 
he ascribed it to man's transgression. 

We know that air is very necessary to ani- 
mal and vegetable existence, and that without 



118 A FhilosopJiy of Heaven, 

it they cannot exist, yet, however pnre the air 
we breathe, the water we drink, the food we 
eat, and however comfortable our shelter and 
raiment, yet man and all living creatures of 
earth must perish and die from the eflects of 
the atmosphere. There is no way or man- 
ner by which to escape death for any. Sol- 
emn as the thought may be, all must die; for 
it is a law of heaven. Physicians may select 
the most salubrious air, the choicest and most 
nutritious food, the purest and most whole- 
some water, and the most comfortable and de- 
sirable raiment and shelter, and administer 
these blessings to the mortal possessing the 
most robust and well organized constitution ; 
yet that mortal must sicken, decay, and die, 
in a few fleeting years. The high, the low, the 
rich, the poor, the vreak, the strong, the wise, 
the unwise, are all doomed alike to decay, dis- 
ease, and death, under its powerful agency. 
It is an element from which there is no escape. 
It is the flaming sword, spoken of by Moses, 
which turned every way to keep the way of 
the tree of life. 



I 



Earthy and the Millennium, 119 

The water of earth, that compound of hydro- 
gen and oxj^gen, is another element of earth 
quite deleterious to animal life. It carries ma- 
ny impurities in it. All the evils of water re- 
sult from the action of the atmosphere. Its 
fluidity is directly omng to the presence of the 
air in and upon it. It would neither have a 
single impurity in it, a stain about it, color, 
taste or smell — neither would it flow, but be 
as nice and hard as a diamond — if it were not 
for our atmosphere. It has decomposed it ; 
and hence whatever is at present objectionable 
in water may be attributed to the air. And 
the same may be said of earthy matter : it was 
once as solid and as neat as polished glass ; 
and if it protruded through the waters at all, 
as at present, it was the fit abode of angels, 
and varied the pleasures of ear'li during its 
primitive purity. 

The fllth, impurities, and corruptions, that 
now overspread the earth did not exist till the 
tall of Adam and Eve. The earth was then, or 
prior thereto, clad With the air ; and this filth, 
corruption, decay and death, are the results. 



120 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

Fire is said to be another powerful element 
of eartli. "We may well doubt that it is an 
element ; but it has no existence beyond our 
atmosphere or its influence, and before the fall 
of Adam there was not a spark of it on earth, 
nor was any needed. I defy any philosophei 
to prove by any correct reasoning that fire ex- 
ists in any of the heavenly bodies. Fire is 
one thing, the light of heaven quite another 
and difl'er en t thing. Fire is the result of strife. 
Light is an element, just as earth, air, and wa- 
ter, and is the most powerful element of the 
heavens. It is capable of supporting the 
heavens and the earth, with all the weight 
philosophers attribute to them. It is creative 
in its nature, while fire decomposes and dis- 
organizes. Light — this e.therial light existing 
throughout the heavens — has its inhabitants, 
just as the earth, water, and air, have theirs. 
Though we cannot comprehend and carnally 
see these spiritual beings of light, and under- 
stand the nature of their existence, yet it by 
no means follows that they do not exist. They 
are not mere shadows, phantoms, or nonenti- 



Eartli^ and the Millennium. 121 

ties ; but their works, exhibited in the heav- 
ens, show that they are powerful beings, capa- 
ble of high attainments which are totallj^ un- 
known to earth. They so far excel the inhab- 
itants of earth, that man in his degradation 
cannot form any just or perfect ideas concern- 
ing them. The idea of powerful beings exist- 
ing, and performing such wonderful works as 
the heavens present to our view, in an invisi- 
ble, noiseless, and unobserved manner, is 
something astounding to humanity. That 
such is the fact nature teaches by all her 
works, both of sea and land, and b}^ heaven 
and earth. 

Mankind has in all ages had a mania as to 
lire. The ancients claimed that God was a 
^'consuming fire"; and there is onl}^ one ra- 
tional way of accounting for this mania, and 
that is, that this earth has once been illumin- 
ated by the passage, in its orbit, of some pow- 
erful celestial body more luminous than the 
sun, causing a millennial peace, during which 
the ancients witnessed the presence of angels, 
and heard the Gospel of Peace and Truth 
9 



122 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

preached. We will defer notice of this for a 
future chapter; but this mania must have 
originated in that manner. Why philosophers 
should assert that the sun is a mass of liquid 
fire is unaccountable. It is certainly not be- 
cause fire emits a faint light when burning in 
our atmosphere. Do they imagine that our 
fire — the burning of wood and combustible 
materials — if placed beyond the limits of our 
atmosphere, could emit any light? or could it 
if in full blast, be even seen? If the reader 
will permit me to advance my opinion, I will 
assert that it could not emit any light, or be 
seen on earth. Ignition or combustion is one 
thing, and light another. Ignition is of earth, 
transitive and sensual ; while light is of heav- 
en, durable, all-powerful, and spiritual. A 
mere flame or firebrand would not illuminate 
the vast etherial space of heaven, but it re- 
quires the power of spiritual light, as exerted 
eternally, and with the utmost precision and 
regularity by the Creator. 

Electricity is a phenomenon of the air, and 
only exists in the air or by its action. This is 



I 



Eart\ and the Millennium. 



123 



a powerful agent, and at times perforins some 
unpleasant offices. However, it is beneficial 
in purifying tlie atmosphere. It condenses 
vapors and causes rain ; it also condenses the 
dust and calcareous matter carried np in the 
air by absorption, and even melts them and 
throws them again to the earth in the form of 
rocks or meteoric stones. Some say these 
stones come from the destruction of other 
planets ; but this is sheer nonsense. Electri- 
city also burns up or decomposes the poison- 
ous particles of matter floating in the atmos- 
phere, and renders it pure. Sometimes its 
workings seem providential, or the result of 
the direct interposition of Providence; but 
such cannot be the truth. Providence governs 
by the most impartial and unerring laws. 

This element, fire, is one of strife ; it exists 
only \ij strife, and cannot exist without it. 
The Bible and reason also teach that heaven 
is peace, and consequently this fire of earth 
cannot and should not have existence or place 
there. It might, therefore, safely be affirmed, 
that, if a man was otherwise adapted, he might 



124 A PhilosopJiy of Iledven, 

safely inliabit tlie sun, as not a liair of liis head 
wonld be singed or injured, tliougli he was in 
the flesh as now ; of course, none can go there 
in the flesh, because it is at enmity with God, 
and doomed to die on earth. 

The attraction of gravitation is also an evil 
of earth, as it hinders our powers of locomo- 
tion or change of place. In some aspects of 
the case, it may be a blessing ; but if man and 
the animals were otherwise in their proper 
and primeval spheres of action, this law of 
gravitation would be a great evil and hin- 
drance. The mighty animals of the sea rise 
from its depths and slime and move through 
its waters, and the birds of the air fly through 
it with great velocity ; but man and the ani- 
mals are conflned by gravitation to the slime 
and filth of the earth. '' Man" (and Job might 
have said the same of all the creatures of 
earth) ''is of few days, and full of trouble." 

The question here presents itself, why are 
these troubles? why these ills? Let us exam- 
ine these questions for a few moments, for 
without doubt there are just reasons for their 



i 



Earthy and the Millennium, 125 

existence, and for the present condition of af- 
fairs on ea,rth, if we could but trace them to 
their proper source. 

It is evident that the atmosphere, water, 
food, &c., of earth were so designed by God 
himself, and that our present existence is just 
as He desires it. Our conduct, however, may 
be just the reverse, as He has given us a will 
of our own, and laws for our moral and spir- 
itual government, just as He gives to His chil- 
dren in heaven. A higher and more noble life 
and state of affairs is clearly depicted to us in 
the firmament of heaven ; our inferiority and 
degradation is visible and apparent. And 
again, let me ask, why so ? Can it be that this 
earth is a nursery, or the wom b of Eternity ? 
We should be happy to believe that doctrine, 
but the Bible as well as reason forbid it ; and 
there is no way to escape the conviction that 
mankind and the creatures of this world are 
undergoing punishment, reformation, and re- 
generation, and tliat the earth is the place 
designated by our Creator for that purpose; 
that we are violators of God's holy laws, and 



126 A FJiilosophy of Heaven, 

are placed here for sucli violation ; that we are 
not suffering for Adam and Eve's conduct, but 
for our own, of lil^e nature. Our first parents 
were condemned in the garden of Eden — which 
is a mere figure of heaven, or some part of it — 
and were driven out to earth. Christ taught 
Nicodemus that no man hath ascended up to 
heaven, except he that came down from heav- 
en. This proves that the present inhabitants 
are also outcasts of heaven, and delivered over 
to our arch-enemy — the Devil, Satan, serpent, 
or flesh of the world — for works of atonement 
and regeneration. Our regeneration is com- 
pleted in carnal death, and we will again be 
restored to heaven by the force and power of 
the resurrection, and enjoy heaven according 
to our works of repentance on earth. 

Man is a compound of the spiritual and the 
carnal. His spiritual nature is truth, love, 
justice, &c., while his carnal nature is quite 
the reverse. Our spiritual nature, which is 
the true man, once existed in heaven ; and 
hereafter must continue there to exist in some 
estate, either exalted or humble, as our works 



Earthy and the Millennium. 127 

sliall determine. The spiritual nature is im- 
mortal, and therefore cannot or will not ever 
perish ; our carnal bodies must die, for they 
and their passions are the great enemies of 
truth, justice, and righteousness. The spirit- 
ual nature of man is heavenly, exalted, holy, 
and righteous. It is continually admonishing 
US of heaven, and prompting us to deeds of 
love, charity, justice, and mercy; while the 
flesh is prompting us to deeds of wrong, sin, 
covetousness, oppression, folly, crime, and 
death. 

The flesh is evil ; it is one of the evils in- 
flicted on earth, and we may well conclude 
that flesh, as it moves and exists by the Spirit 
of God on earth, cannot and does not exist in 
heaven, or anywhere else except on earth, and 
that when consigned to the tomb it will never 
be resurrected. Many, no doubt, entertain a 
diff'erent view of the subject from the fact that 
they interpret the Bible literally, as any other 
book, while the truths in most of its teachings 
are promulgated by parables, symbols, and 
figurative language. The fall of man was 



128 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

witliout doubt announced in figurative lan- 
guage, and so of many of the events contained 
in the Bible. We are bound to admit this, or 
falsify the book itself ; and when we can ren- 
der it consistent and intelligible by resorting 
to figurative construction, it is incuinbent on 
us to do so, rather than make its records of 
events impossibilities or falsehoods by a lite- 
ral construction. For this reason, I maintain 
that Moses' description of the manner in which 
he received the ten commandments is figura- 
tive of a former millennium, for it is improba- 
ble that the just and impartial God of the Uni- 
verse should so far disregard His impartiality 
as to advise and bless one nation and its rulers 
and not the others. Such is at variance with 
the general teachings of the Bible, such is at 
variance with all just ideas of His omnipo- 
tence ; for He could not appear on the earth 
without every mortal creature recognizing the 
fact; and, finally, Moses himself informs us 
that the law existed at the beginning, when 
Cain slew Abel, and even before sacrifices 
were offered. From these considerations we 



Earthy and the Millennium, 129 

are forced to conclude that Moses' account of 
his reception of the ten commandments is figu- 
rative, and so of many other of his writings ; 
they are mere figures of speech, but not intel- 
ligible now to us, or important. 

Many believe that mankind will be resur- 
rected after death and exist here on earth, and 
live forever in a similar condition as they now 
do. It seems hard for many of us to give over 
this body of ours to death and destruction ; 
but, whether we will or not, such is the decree 
of God. This disposition not to give over and 
admit the destruction of the body — this mass 
of flesh, blood, bones, &c. — arises from the fact 
that man is not capable of discerning and 
comprehending a better and higher existence. 
The reader must not believe that I would com- 
mit him or her to the tomb, and deny the res- 
urrection and a future enjoyment in heaven; 
not by any means, for I contend that the res- 
urrection extends to all mankind, the good and 
evil ; and not only mankind, but all the crea- 
tures of earth having the Spirit of God within 
them. Life here is insignificant to that ia 



130 A PJiilosophy of Heaven^ 

heaven. The bodies we now possess are just 
as insignificant to those we shall possess as 
the acorn is to the oak, and we will have no 
more need for our bodies in heaven than the 
oak of the forest has for the hull through 
which it germinated. Life here on earth is 
only the germ of our future existence, and 
death is the mere bursting forth into heaven 
and a heavenly existence. Once admitted into 
heaven's elysian joys, and we will be nurtured 
by the love and power of angels instead of the 
w^eakness of earth. We will then need no 
disordered flesh, no impure blood, no aching 
bones, no vitiated appetite, no frail sinews or 
muscles ; but God in His providence will fur- 
nish us w^ith a body, just as our merits sh^ll 
deserve, that shall far eclipse our expectations. 
Therefore no one, however much he have de- 
graded himself, need be afraid to make the 
exchange, for Christ says the least in heaven 
shall be greater than John the Baptist ; and if 
we consider his merits, we need not fear a 
cheat in the exchange, however badly we may 
have acted. This body of ours is carnal, sens- 



t 



Earth, and the Millennium, 131 



ual, earthly, and devilisli ; while the other, in 
the. eternal world, will be shorn of these weak- 
nesses, and endowed with virtues and powers 
with which we are now unacquainted — at least 
all of us who may be found worthy. 

The strife which pervades the elements of 
earth also exists in man. There is war in his 
organization; his complex existence is in a 
state of strife, the good combatting the evil, 
truth combatting error, Man has a vicious 
nature in him, and there is nothing pure and 
heavenly on earth except the Spirit of God 
and the light of heaven. This Spirit of God 
within us is pure, heavenly, righteous, and 
holy, and is truth. The light we enjoy is 
truth, and is likewise pure, holy, perfect, and 
just, and is from heaven. The sight of men 
and animals, this power of beholding corpo- 
real objects on earth, and a few of the works 
of the almighty Architect as delineated in tlie 
nearest portion of the heavens, is spiritual, 
and is the direct gift of the Creator. This eye- 
sight or vision, though the gift of heaven, is 
quite imperfect and obscured by the darkness 



132 A PTdlosopliy of Heaven^ 

of earth. The earth, though lighted with the 
sunbeams of heaven, is, spiritually speaki?^g, 
in darkness. We see and cannot comprehend. 
The sight and comprehension are both defect- 
ive, which proves man's degradation. Yet in 
this world of darkness enough vision is left to 
man to behold the wondrous extent, mechan- 
ism and magnificence of much of the heavens. 
His sight is more perfect than liis reason or 
speech, for he is endowed with no thought saf- 
ficient to conceive and understand, or tongue 
to express, the grandeur and majesty of the 
scene. 

Heaven in part is spread before our eyes, 
yet seeing we cannot comprehend its majesty. 
We cannot comj)rehend the mysteries of the 
heavens, nor is necessary that we should, or 
proper that we should. If we could, it would 
be ample evidence that a heavenly existence 
is but little superior to earth ; while the very 
fact that these mysteries are incomprehensible 
to us, is the most convincing and conclusive 
proof that our future existence will be one of 
the most transcendent and sublime order, if 



Earthy and the Millennium, 133 

we shall but act worthily. This higher exist- 
ence, to which we are so rapidly hastening, is 
no vague or foolish surmise of the carnal mind, 
"but is a positive, true, and holy reality, and 
one which will be developed and manifested 
"by the power of God in the resurrection of all 
the creatures of earth, whether rational as man, 
or irrational as the beasts, &c., in a short, a 
very short time. 

Without the light of heaven and the organs 
of sight the heavens and earth could not en- 
dure. Light is sometimes refracted by the 
elements and substances of earth, such as air, 
water, and polished substances, so as to de- 
ceive ; but if left to itself, with no disturbing 
elements, it is always true. So also with the 
spirit of man ; if left free from disturbing in- 
fluences and from temptation, it is always just. 
The sight is obscured in many ways ; but the 
great obscurity called "^ spiritual darkness'- in. 
the Scriptures, arises from the transcendent 
splendor of heaven. The phenomenon of com- 
bustion or ignition, on earth, which we call 
pre^ and for which mankind have such a su- 



134 A Pliilosojpliy of Heaven^ 

perstitious horror, compared to the splendor 
of heaven, would look dark ; if placed beyond 
onr atmosphere, it would seem as a black 
speck or cloud, and would not illuminate in 
the least, so brilliant are the heavens beyond 
our atmosphere. This brilliancy begins at the 
earth's surface, and the farther you leave it 
the thinner the air becomes and the more re- 
splendent become the sun's rays, till finally 
the air ceases and the heavens are illuminated 
with the most majestic grandeur — where there 
is neither cold, heat, pain, desire, hunger, 
thirst, tears, sorrow, nor death. 

Our powers of sight are imperfect and often 
obscured by the rays of the sun. For illustra- 
tion, suppose that an intelligent person should 
have been excluded from a view of the heav- 
ens by night till he was grown, but that he 
was only permitted to see the world and phi- 
losophize on it during the day. Tell him that 
there exists a vast system of architecture in 
the heavens besides the sun; and that it ex- 
tends indefinitely and eternally into unbound- 
ed space, and that the same would be sliown 



Earthy and the Millennium. 135 

to him some niglit, what do you suppose would 
be his anxiety, and what his doubts? He 
would, perhaps, have about the same anxiety 
and patience that man has as to the reality of 
God's existence, and his own resurrection in 
heaven ; and his doubts would be similar, and 
in fact should be greater, for he must depend 
on the truthfulness of man ; while man has 
ocular demonstration of his heavenly abode, 
and nature teaches him, through all her works, 
his resurrection to the same. Take the same 
individual by night, when the heavens are un- 
obscured by clouds, and point his sight to the 
heavens, and how sublime his thoughts, and 
how convincing the proof emanating from 
heaven itself ! Mankind have but little need 
of a teacher when God himself reveals and 
teaches. 

There is a view from the standpoint of life ; 
this we now have. There is another view from 
the standpoint of death and the resurrection ; 
this we must all soon have, when our vision 
will embrace things spiritually. The obscu- 
rity and darkness of earth will soon have van- 



136 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

islied, and the light mankind so much desire 
will brilliantly illuminate the heavens, where 
an all- wise and all-powerful Grod, together with 
His angels and ransomed hosts of earth, will 
appear in unspeakable glory and power — 
where the redeemed shall no more experience 
neither pain, sorrow, hunger, thirst, desire, nor 
death ; for they are free from the troubles of 
earth, and will reign forever. How different 
this splendor and glory to that of earth ! Earth 
lias but few joys, scarcely any without their 
price of toil, labor, and suffering ; and how 
fleeting are these ! Heaven's rewards and joys 
are without price, and can be attained with 
righteous works while here on earth. Heav- 
en's joys are durable, earth's are fleeting and 
uncertain. Our joy is often abruptly turned 
to mourning. If we eat, we hunger again ; if 
we drink, we thirst again. If we clothe our- 
selves and build houses to shelter ourselves 
against the rigors of the seasons, we soon find 
that time and the vicissitudes of earth demol- 
ish our fabrics, and they must be renewed. If 
we are in good health, we have no assurance 



Earthy and the Millennmon, 137 

that disease, disaster and death are not at our 
doors. If we labor and sow, we have no posi- 
tive assurance that \7e shall reap. In truth, 
this world is one of change, and the measure 
of life is uncertain. "Man is of few days, and 
full of trouble.-' The whole mechanism of 
t3arth, as organized by the Creator, is specially 
designed to effect changes, repentance, and re- 
genera|:ion, through carnal death and the resur- 
rection to a spiritual life in heaven. Every 
event militates against our sojourn on earth. 
The food we eat, the water we drink, the air we 
breathe, though necessary to animal life, yet 
have death^and decay scattered in them. Ma- 
ny of us are poorly clad and sheltered, and we 
must soon depart. The earth bids us leave — 
God and the heavens invite us to come; and 
why should mankind fail to be prepared and 
ready for the journey ? 

The carnal nature of man is full of corrup- 
tion, and is even more so than the elements of 
earth. It is the thing called self — which is 
figuratively called in the Bible, through re- 
spect to the higher nature of man, the old ser- 
10 



1 38 A Pliilosojyliy of Heaven, 

pent, Satan, Devil, &c. It is antagonistic to 
trntli, love, mercy, rigliteonsness, justice, &c. 
What God commands, it forbids ; what heaven 
dictates, it opposes ; what justice requires, it 
dispenses with ; what purity and holiness ex- 
acts, it declines. Though made alive and ex- 
isting only by the quickening power of the 
Spirit of God, as developed in the bodies of 
men and animals, yet it is at continual enmity 
with God and His holy laws. It seeks to allure 
from the path of duty ; it seeks to deceive us, 
and prompts to a violation of God's laws ; it 
even denies the existence of God, though trem- 
bling in the fear of His power. TMs principle 
(self) is blind; it knows not justice nor its 
own ; it has no respect for the rights of others, 
and is continually at war with every principle 
of truth, right, justice, love, mercy, and every- 
thing that is heavenly. 

What more need or can be said of the Devil, 
Satan, dragon, serpent, &c., mentioned in the 
Bible ? According to the 12th chapter of Reve- 
lations, the dragon is on earth ; and this is the 
principle called ''self " by us, as it exists iu 



Earthy and the Millennium. 139 

man and animals of the earth ; that is, the car- 
nality of earth represents him. That chapter 
informs ns that '' there was war in heaven : 
Michael and his angels fought against th(^ 
dragon; and the dragon fought and his an- 
gels, and prevailed not; neither was their 
place found any more in heaven. And the 
great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, 
called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth 
the whole workl. ; he was cast out into the 
earth, and his angels were cast out with him." 

The above is good Bible proof that Satan is 
on earth ; but such terms as Satan, Devil, hell, 
dragon, fire and brimstone, &c., are figures of 
speech used in the Bible to denote the evil na- 
ture of man's earthly passions, and to denote 
the remorse, shame and degradation that evil- 
doers must be subjected to, in the resurrec- 
tion, by the laws of heaven. 

The 3d chapter of Genesis informs us that 
Adam was sent forth to till the ground from 
whence he was taken. So Adam and the dra- 
gon, Satan, or the Devil, became inhabiters of 
the earth. It was the serpent that deceived 



140 ^1 Pliilosopliy of Heaven. 

Adam and Eve ; and tliey both are. without 
doubt, outcasts from heaven according to Mo- 
ses, Christ, and St. John, The earth, therefore, 
certainly was accursed long before the fall of 
Adam, for it is highly improbable that God 
would furnish the serpent a paradise for his 
abode, and fallen man this world of strife and 
sin. There is nothing contradictory in the 
Mosaic account of the creation and fall of man 
to this opinion. The language of Closes is, 
^* Cursed is'- (not cursed he) '* the ground for 
thy sake.'- St. Peter, in his second epistle, 
chapter second, in speaking of false teachers, 
says, " For if God spared not the angels that 
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and deliv- 
ered them into chains of darkness, to be re- 
served unto judgment.'' Xow in this language 
we have the express oi3inion of St. Peter as to 
the condition of mankind, and the true name 
and state of earth and its inhabitants. That 
we are the fallen angels reserved for judgment 
is clearly indicated, and the " chains of dark- 
ness" and '"heU" clearly have reference to the 
earth. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 141 

Adam and all the creatures of earth were 
and are placed here on earth for violation of 
the laws of heaven, and are to undergo judg- 
ment for their deeds done in the body. This 
earth represents the forbidden fruit of the Bi- 
ble, and is yet forbidden to the angels of heav- 
en. It is the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil. St. James, in speaking of the effects 
of envy and strife, says (see 3d chapter), '' For 
where envying and strife is, tliere is confusion 
and every evil work." Again he says, *'This 
wisdom descendeth not from above, but is 
earthly, sensual, devilish." Here we have his 
opinion as to the condition of earth. This 
earth is the only place where evil exists, or is 
for a moment suffered to exist. Moses says 
that "God saw that it was good," meaning the 
creation of heaven and earth. The angels of 
heaven could not acquire this knowledge of 
good and evil anywhere else. 

Another evidence that man, the earth, and 
the world, are existing under and enduring the 
the displeasure of their Creator, arises from 
the fact that God himself, nor any of His holy 



142 A PhilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

angels, nor our redeemed friends in heaven, 
ever visit it. Some, doubtless, will not agree 
vdtli this assertion, and affirm that God and 
the angels frequently visit our earth. This is 
not by any means to be admitted. The earth 
is so constructed, and is the subject of so much 
strife and contention, that it is not fitted or 
worthy of even a visit from the Almighty or 
His angels. An angel would scarcely be more 
inclined to leave the peace and bliss of heaven 
and to visit this world of strife, sin, and dark- 
ness, than a human being would visit the 
bottom of the ocean. The dangers of the one 
would scarcely be excelled by those of the 
other; yet either might be done, for with God 
all things are possible. By the aid of His om- 
nipotent power any task may be accomplish- 
ed; but this aid is never extended here on 
earth to any of His sinful creatures, except by 
spiritual manifestations. That we have the 
Spirit of God abiding in us is evident ; with- 
out this we become a dead, rotten mass of ruin, 
This spiritual gift may be increased by works 
of godliness and prayer for the gift. It may 



Earthy and the Millennium. 143 

also be abused and lost for want of prayer and 
righteousness, till the possessor is but little 
above the brutes. I affirm that while God has 
given us His Holy Spirit-and commandments, 
neither He nor His angels ever visit this earth ; 
that there is no partiality in God, nor does He 
suffer the same to exist among His angels or 
saints ; also, that His rewards and punish- 
ments are reserved for the resurrection from 
the dead, and consequently there are no spe- 
cial providences on earth. It often happens 
that such is seemingly the case, and that indi- 
viduals are apparently saved from harm or 
subjected to evil, and thus rewarded or pun- 
ished by the special act of God ; but all these 
must be attributed to their proper causes, the 
constant vicissitudes of this ever-changing 
world. Man in his degraded state is continu- 
ally on the alert for the help of his Creator ; 
he is conscious of his weakness and forlorn 
condition, and seizes on any circumstance, 
however trivial, to find evidences of God's fa- 
vor, and sometimes of His displeasure ; always 
hoping for direct divine interposition and fa- 



144 A PTiilosopliy of Heaven^ 

Yor, yet conscious of the fact that God cannot 
and will not, in His impartiality, make these 
interpositions. Such would be unjust to the 
creatures of this world, and would be subject- 
ing the world to two rewards or two punish- 
ments. This is likewise inconsistent with the 
teachings of Jesus Christ: he affirms, ''For 
He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on 
the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on 
the unjust." (See 5th chapter of St. Matthew.) 
This should be decisive of the matter, when it 
is so well established by observation. 

Some will say that God made frequent visits 
to Moses in his time. Christ forbids that idea, 
so also does reason. "The Lord" spoken of 
by Moses in his writings was not the Creator 
of heaven and earth, but more probably an 
ecclesiastic of high pretensions. Many of the 
laws received by Moses from that source were 
of the most barbarous character, and were con- 
demned by Christ in his teachings. -Some of 
the deeds which he commanded Moses to per- 
form were of the most heinous and diabolical 
description, such as are recorded, for instance, 



Earthy and the Millemimm. 145 

in 31st chapter of IN'ninbers. Moses received 
and executed the law over the Israelites by 
his command, and it might seem that one of 
his objects in recording this, and many other 
acts equally condemned by our Saviour, was 
to expose the corruption and idolatry of this 
ruler, and to teach mankind that corruption 
and idolatry have always existed in this world, 
and that human nature has always been the 
same. 

Some likewise contend that this earth of 
ours has frequently been visited by angels, 
and cite the visit of the angel to Balaam. This 
is a matter of mere history, and without doubt 
the ancients believed such to have been the 
fact. No doubt Saul believed the witch of 
Endor raised Samuel from the dead ; but the 
apostles taught that Christ was the first to 
arise from the dead. So we must conclude 
that Saul was mistaken in the resurrection of 
Samuel ; and it would be as reasonable to sup- 
pose that Balaam was also mistaken, and 
m*ore especially when we know that no such 
things now occur. 



146 A Philosopliy of Heaven^ 

Many other matters recorded in the Bible as 
special providences are merely typical of great 
events, and narrow risks^ to which the ancient 
Israelites were exposed ; and having the ap- 
pearance of such, have been admitted into the 
Bible as part of their history. Such was the as- 
sertion of Joshua, that the sun and moon stood 
still while he fought a battle. Nothing of the 
like could have occurred, or even seemingly so. 
Joshua was elated with success, and no doubt 
wished to impress his countrymen with the im- 
portance of his victory, and, like some warriors 
of more modern ages, made a glowing report. 
There are many other matters contained in 
Bible history that have the appearance of im 
possibility without the direct interposition of 
Grod. They may be only emblematical of cer- 
tain important truths or principles, and not 
realities ; they were very likely clothed with 
surroundings w^hich, if now known, would 
cause them to appear quite reasonable. These 
need not be stumbling-blocks or become rocks 
of offence to any, for they are only matters of 
history. Now it is and must be evident that 



Earthy and the Millennmin, 147 

Moses never even saw God ; yet the reader is 
apt to infer that Moses wished him to believe 
such was the fact. Moses frequently consid- 
ered himself a type of the whole people of 
Israel from the beginning of earth to his day ; 
and what his progenitors saw, he represents 
himself as seeing ; and what they did, he rep- 
resents himself as doing. 

Without controversy, this earth has been 
visited by the powers of heaven since its curse, 
and it is likely that it was highly illuminated 
by the presence of some heavenly visitor, 
which was apparent to all the creatures of 
earth, and in this manner, or by a former mil- 
lennium, the ancients derived their knowledge 
of heaven and God. Moses declared that he 
deceived the commandments of God from Mt. 
Sinai ; that the Lord descended on it in fire, 
&c. Now Mount Sinai represents the splendid 
and elevated condition of earth at a former 
millennium, and the iire illustrates the brilliant 
illumination that prevailed when the angels 
preached the Gospel of Truth, and he imper- 
sonates the ancient Israelites who witnessed 



148 A Plulosovhy of Heaven^ 

the display. This is the most plausible theory 
and construction that can be given to his nar- 
ration of that event, and, as before observed, 
we are not to place an impossible construction, 
or even a contradictory one, on any teachings 
of the Bible, when, by a figurative construc- 
tion, we can render it reasonable, consistent, 
and just. 

These records of Bible history which seem 
contradicioxy, unreasonable, or impossible, 
might be w^Jl understood if we were but ac- 
quainted with their surroundings. As we are 
unacquainted with them in the present age, we 
cannot make the application of many of the 
figures contained in the Bible. If we could, I 
am fully persuaded that we could understand 
the nature of God, His angels, and of heaven, 
and the laws of their government. These have 
probably again and again been taught and ex- 
plained by demonstration in millennial periods 
to mankind ; but, owing to the backward state 
of science, our record is quite bare, century 
after century being contained in a few chap- 
ters. 



Eartli, and the Millennium. 149 



It is evident that tlie ten commandments, or 
some of like nature, were given to manlund in 
the beginning, or that Adam brought them 
with him when he was driven out of the gar- 
den of Eden. ''In the beginning was the 
Word." The Lord said unto Cain, ''If thou 
doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou 
doest not well, sin lieth at the door." This is 
conclusive that mankind had the law at the 
beginning ; by it Adam and all the earth have 
fallen. 

This law is not confined to Christians, Jev/-i, 
or refined nations ; but the Gentiles, heathens, 
pagans, and all rational beings of earth, have 
it written in their hearts and instilled in their 
being. Wherever reason has a throne, there 
the law has a seat. It is true that this law 
becomes nearly efi^aced in individuals and na- 
tionalities, but cannot be entirely untreated 
from the human breast. The worst of savages, 
even cannibals, have the law engrafted in their 
natures, and are justly accountable for their 
deeds ; though, to whom much is given, it is 
said, mucli will be required. Conscience exists 



150 A PliilosojpJiy of Heaven^ 

in all humanity, however depraved, and re- 
proves guilt and crime in a heathen as well as 
a christian. The same law governs all, and all 
will be condemned or rewarded by it. Human- 
ity is the same the world over, and the law is 
the same not only on earth, but in heaven. 

Some persons believe that Christ is God, and 
that his visit to earth was a contradiction of the 
statement that God and His angels do not visit 
the earth. That Christ is the God of the Uni- 
verse cannot be proved by the Scriptures, and 
is condemned by reason. He never taught any 
such doctrine. He taught that he was a son or 
child of God, and that all other people were 
who obeyed His laws. There is a vast differ- 
ence between Christ and his Father, the living 
supreme God. God is a Spirit, of whom w^e 
cannot draw any perfect conceptions either of 
His eternity, or power, or existence. We are 
informed that His shape is similar to that of 
man ; also, that He has not flesh and blood as 
we, Christ had, and visited this earth not as 
God, but as man, having all the infirmities of 
humanity upon him while sojourning on earth. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 151 

His visit liere was liis descent into Hades^ 
spoken of in the apocryphal writings. He 
was, without controversy, one of the most illus- 
trious visitors that has ever honored earth and 
mankind. His mission on earth was prompted 
by the most disinterested love and good-will 
to mankind, and, unlike us, he came and en- 
dured the hardship, toil, strife, and death, of 
this earth, not for any transgression of his 
own, but that by his teachings and example 
mankind might be blessed in eternity. He 
died because of the sins of this world ; arose^ 
and ascended to heaven, as all must do. He 
was without sin either in heaven or earth, and 
in this respect was divine. He was possessed 
of powers far above human. He was not shorn 
of some attributes of which human nature is ; 
or they were not crushed by his voluntary 
visit to earth, as in our case, by the spiritual 
fall from heaven to earth. He had powers of 
which we are entirely shorn, or which have 
been crushed by our fall from divine favor ; 
among these were spiritual sight, the power of 
divining men's thoughts and hearts, and of do- 



153 A Philosophy of Heaven, 



irig wonderful works. He was suffered to visit 
eartli with tliese supernatural powers, because 
Ood had confidence that he would use or exert 
them for good, and not for evil. Hence he em- 
ployed these supernatural powers only for 
good, and in no case for evil. The curse of the 
fig-tree was not an exception : he harmed that 
tree simply to confirm his teachings, and 
liarmed it because it was inanimate or devoid 
of feeling ; otherwise he might have made an 
example of a living human or other creature. 
In this respect Christ was divine. He never 
forfeited his estate in heaven by disobedience ; 
and from his disinterested love to mankind 
(especially the poor and weak), from his total 
indifi*erence to the wealth or honors of this 
w^orld and the applause of men, and from the 
justness and purity of his teachings, and the 
holy and righteous example he set the people 
of earth, we are forced to acknowledge his di- 
vinity. This divinity enters into the existence 
of all of God's creatures. Life itself, as it 
exists in men and animals, is divine ; but no 
creature of earth has ever possessed such di- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 153 

vine powers as Jesus Christ. This divinity 
varies in life, and is in all probability propor- 
tioned to the magnitude or enormity of our 
past transgressions in the garden of Eden, or 
figurative heaven. This explains the differ- 
ence in mankind and also animals. The trans- 
gressions of some were flagrant, and hence 
their degraded condition on earth ; the trans- 
gressions of others were of less enormity, and 
hence their abundant intellect, wisdom, and 
"better condition on earth. 

Christ being without sin possessed superhu- 
man powers, and enjoyed the confidence and 
favor of God. It was no part of his mission to 
change or alter the temporal condition of man- 
kind or the laws of earth. The laws of heaven 
are immutable and firm ; hence, when he as- 
sumed the frail flesh, body, and infirmities of 
man, he became, like us, subject to carnal 
death. This carnal death came not by Adam's 
transgression, but by our own, of similar na- 
ture to Adam's ; hence we all must die, be- 
cause we all have sinned. So immutable and 
firm are those laws, and so determined is 
11 



154 A Fliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

God's purpose that tliey shall not be relaxed^ 
and they were not relaxed or dispensed with 
even in the case of an imploring and dutiful 
son; consequently, Christ himself suffered 
death rather than the laws of heaven should 
be violated. 

But Christ's death and resurrection alone 
have not nor will not remove the curse of God 
from any one ; neither will his example or 
teachings, unless we follow and obey them. 
Obedience to his teachings is the salvation he 
offered, and the means of our redemption in 
heaven; and the result of his teachings may 
be summed up or stated in a few words, and 
in language so plain that the wayfarer, though 
a fool, need not err therein. '^ Therefore all 
things whatsoever ye would that men should 
do to you, do ye even so them : for this is the 
law and the prophets.'' This he affirms to be 
the law and the doctrine of the prophets ; — 
hence he did not change the law, for the law 
is truth, and existed from the foundation of 
the heavens and the earth. He taught no new 
doctrine, nor did he institute any meaningless 



Earthy and the Millennium, 155 

ceremonies. He promulgated no metaphysical 
creeds. His religion was supreme love to God, 
and disinterested and unselfish love to our 
neighbor. It was the same that existed in the 
beginning, and is one and the same everlasting 
truth of the eternal God. 

Christ was not God, but a teacher sent by 
God to resurrect truth on earth, which was al- 
most crushed amidst the vanity, superstition, 
and idolatry of earth. For reproving these, he 
was unjustly condemned and sufi'ered death, 
as we must. His offence was not blasphemy 
against God, as alleged, but merely exhibiting 
the folly and hypocrisy of the false teachings 
and idolatry of earth, as practised in meta- 
physical creeds and meaningless and supersti- 
tious ceremonies. He held forth the Golden 
Rule, above quoted, as the true religion of man- 
kind. In no instance did he ever command a 
single ceremony to be performed by the inhab- 
itants of earth ; hence such only can exist by 
permission, and do not exist by command. 
From the manner in which he reprimanded 
the teachings and practices of the Jews, man- 



] 56 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

kind must look with caution on the ceremo- 
nies of all our churches, even though they 
appear harmless, for they are too often calcu- 
lated to lead astray from plain religious du- 
ties. They too often call mankind away from 
the strait gate and narrow way that leads to 
life everlasting, and make them the victims of 
idolatry and superstition. But more of this 
hereafter. 

This earth, like man, possesses a two-fold 
nature. The first is for our instruction and ref- 
ormation ; the second is for our regeneration, 
and not ours only, but the regeneration of all 
its creatures into the realms of an endless, 
eternal, and sublime heaven. All of its crea- 
tures have fallen, and are degraded and far 
removed from Grod. This earth is merely a 
temporary sojourning-place for repentance 
toward God, whose divine laws all have viola- 
ted. It, as combined with the powers of heav- 
en, has power to resurrect and restore all to 
the realities of heaven, where all will be re- 
warded as their works shall deserve. The 
earth is specially designed to assist in the 



Earthy and the Millennium. 157 

work of universal resurrection to heaven, as 
well as to teach and reform. All living crea- 
tures must prepare for the change from earth 
to heaven, for it is not distant. The Judge is 
even standing before our doors. The frost of' 
the poles, and the heat, storms and poisonous 
winds from the tropics, are effectual destroy- 
eis of animal life. The impure air, water, and 
food, of which we are necessarily partakers, 
assist in our carnal death and spiritual resur- 
rection. 

We may view this earth from any stand- 
point, and we find that change, sin, decay, and 
death, are depicted on the whole. Why, read- 
er, is this so ? Why this continual change — 
this suffering — this misery? Why death? 
Why not a remedy except by pain, misery, 
and death ? Why not a resurrection or trans- 
formation without it ? We know that God in 
His omnipotence could relieve us, and why is 
this relief withheld ? We are bound to admit 
one of two facts : first, that God is a petulant, 
inhumane Being; or, that we have flagrantly 
and wantonly violated His holy laws, estab- 



158 A Pliilosojpliy of Heaxen^ 

lished for the government of the eternal heav- 
ens, and therefore are now outcasts from the 
favors of heaven, and suffering punishment 
here on earth. This latter is the scriptural 
view, and is taught by reason, and must have 
the sanction of our best judgment. Tlie whole 
face of the earth bears unmistakable marks of 
God's displeasure, and might aptly be called 
the wine-press of His wrath. 



CHAPTER IV. 

MAN. 

HIS ORIGIK— THE GARDEN OF EDEN — THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT — HIS 
FALL— HIS EFFORTS TO PLEASE GOD— HIS PRAYERS -HIS RELI- 
GION—HIS IDOLATRY— THE GOLDEN RULE THE TRUE GOSPEL — 
THE FOLLY OF PUBLIC PRAYER— OF CEREMONIES— THE PERVER* 
SIGN OF GOSPEL TRUTH — FALSE TEACHERS — BIGOTS — OFFENCES 
AGAINST THe HOLY GHOST — ^HIS FAITH IN GOD — HIS DEATH AND 
BURIAL. 

From the record in the first cnapters of Gen- 
esis we are induced to believe that the human 
race once enjoyed a holy and exalted state in 
heaven. The language in which Moses wrote 



Earth, and the Millennium, 159 

was barren and imperfect, and resort was of 
necessity had to the figures of speech. He 
gives an account of the creation of the heavens 
and the earth, and of man. The events of cen- 
turies are embraced in a few chapters. 

That man and the heavens and the earth 
were made by an omnipotent God is a propo- 
sition that admits of no doubt, and is visible 
to all. As to the omnipotence of God, we see 
and know that it is beyond human comprehen- 
sion. Moses informs us that the heavens and 
the earth were created by God " in the begin- 
ning"; that ''the earth was without form" (that 
is, it was not the subjectof the present existing 
state of aff'airs) '' and void" (that is, the pres- 
ent race of men and administration of laws did 
not then exist), ''and darkness was on the face 
of the deep" — this clause has reference to a 
time when the earth was not inhabited by any 
of God's creatures. The next passage says, 
^^And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of 
the waters." The "Spirit of God" here alluded 
to clearly means the existence of heavenly be- 
ings as angels, because motion is ascribed to 



160 A Pliilosophy of Heaven^ 

it, and this on the face of the waters. This 
motion on the face of the waters has a power- 
ful meaning, and from it I derive my idea that 
water was in the beginning a solid, as glass, 
emeralds, pearls, &c. Light entered simulta- 
neously with the moving of the Spirit of God ; 
the heavens appeared, as also day and night. 
''And God called the firmament heaven." The 
land was divided from the seas ; the vegetable 
kingdom was then formed, yielding seed and 
fruit after their kind. This, according to Mo- 
ses, was all accomplished on the third day. 
What length of time was assigned to each day, 
or how time was reckoned, is not told, for the 
sun, moon and stars were not made till the 
fourth day. On the fifth day, God created the 
animal kingdom of the land, and of the sea, 
and of the air, '' after their kind"; and on the 
sixth day. He created man. But, very proper- 
ly, several questions here present themselves : 
Was the race of men here spoken of Adam and 
his posterity? Was the light spoken of in the 
first day that spoken of in the fourth day as 
emanating from the sun, moon and stars ? Or. 



Earthy and the Millennium. 16^ 

was the earth once the habitation of angelio 
beings, existing in the favor of God and light 
of heaven, and moving upon the emerald-like 
waters ? Moses says, '' Then the heavens and 
the earth were finished, and all the host of 
them.'- What does the word host here mean^ 
except an endless infinity? Again he says^ 
after speaking of the sabbath of rest, '' These 
are the generations of the heavens and of the 
earth when they were created, in the day that 
the Lord God made the earth and the heav- 
ens." Here one day is assigned to the crea- 
tion. This generation of beings was entirely 
distinct from any now inhabiting this earth, 
and was not subject to the present evils of this 
earth. The earth was not then accursed, and 
there was no strife, pain, sin, or death. There 
were plants and herbs of the field before they 
grew; that is, the earth was picturesquely 
adorned and beautified so as to be pleasing in 
the sight of God and the holy creatures then 
inhabiting it. 

Now in the 2d chapter, 6th verse, is another 
account of the creation of man. This was Ad- 



162 A Philosophy of .Heaven^ 

am and Eve. But before they were created 
sin and strife had entered the earth. It had 
also rained upon the earth. This elastic at- 
mosphere had enshrouded the earth, decom- 
posing its former pure elements, reducing its 
splendor, and destroying its original purity. 
What once was solid and neat as pearls, was, 
by its constant action and strife, reduced to 
dirt, filth, and fragments. It absorbed the at- 
oms of water and again scattered them to earth 
in the form of rain. At what precise time this 
was done we cannot form any correct idea. 
All that Moses could tell us, was, that it was 
^4n the beginning." It had rained, however, 
and the dragon had been cast out together 
with his angels (as narrated in the 12th chap- 
ter of Revelations), by Michael and his angels, 
before Adam and Eve made their appearance 
on earth. 

Moses says Adam and Eve were placed in 
the garden of Eden. Again the question arises, 
where was or is the garden of Eden ? Can it 
be located on earth by any fair reasoning, ox 
description given by him? Most assuredly 



I 



/ 

Earthy and the Millennium, 163 

not. They were placed in the garden at first 
accounts ; they violated God's holy law there ; 
they were also adjudged and condemned there, 
and afterwards driven out to till the ground 
from whence they were taken. Our first pa- 
rents received their corporeal bodies from 
earth and their spiritual bodies from heaven. 
This is not the precise language of the Bible, 
but the inference is unmistakaby plain. 

Let us now take a view of this garden as 
described by Moses. He represents it as con- 
taining many trees, among which was the tree 
of life and the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil ; and how many others we are not in- 
formed, but are left to conjecture that they 
were numerous. Of every tree of the garden 
they might freely eat, except the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil, and the penalty 
of death was attached to the violation of this 
command. We cannot for a moment doubt 
that this description is a mere figure of speech, 
and that the tree and fruit are only typical of 
sin. The garden of Eden represents the heav- 
ens, or some portion of it other than this earth. 



164 A PJiilosopJiy of Heaven. 

It seems that it might represent the limitless 
heavens, for they had access to every tree of 
the garden, and might enjoy the fruit of every 
tree except one, and that tree was this earth, 
which in that figure represents the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil. The other trees 
represented the countless millions of heavenly 
bodies, as the planets, suns, and emerald-like 
spheres, which compose and adorn the heav- 
ens through the interminable confines of space. 
They were and are all good, and earth alone is 
vile, abounding in sin, vanity, strife, and idol- 
atry. Hence our first parents were commanded 
not to partake of the fruit of earth, because, 
although pleasing to the sight, it was noxious 
and sinful. This command or admonition was 
disregarded by our first parents ; they partook 
of the fruits of earth, or of the sin and vice of 
earth, and hence their shame, degradation and 
fall from heaven to earth. The Bible says they 
were driven out of the garden to till the ground 
from whence they were taken. Here was a re- 
moval from one place to another: these places 
are different — one is heaven, the other earth. 



Earthy and the Millennium. 165 

Christ, in speaking to Mcodemus, throws 
some light on this subject: he said, "No man 
hath ascended up to heaven, except he that 
came down from heaven." St. Peter, in his 
second general epistle, in speaking of false 
teachers, also elucidates this subject: he says, 
^'For if God spared not the angels that sinned, 
but cast them down to hell, and delivered them 
into chains of darkness to be reserved unto 
judgment," &c. It cannot be doubted that all 
the souls of earth who have been regenerated 
by death and the resurrection have appeared 
before God by ascending to heaven. The Bi- 
ble mentions many, and, God's laws being im- 
partial and uniform, and His justice and mercy 
the same, it proves the resurrection and ascen- 
sion of all. Therefore we are all fallen, and 
are outcasts of heaven, not for what Adam and 
Eve did, but for what we did ourselves ; that 
is, partaking of the same fruit, the sin and 
vice, that Adam and Eve did. 

Another evidence that the garden of Eden 
was and is heaven arises from the fact that it 
contained the ''tree of life" and the ''river," 



166 A Pliilosophy of Heaven^ 

wMcli we may very properly infer according 
to Revelations was the ''river of life." ISTow, 
such river and tree do not exist on any portion 
of this earth, and never did ; because Adam 
and Eve were cast or driven out of the garden 
lest they should eat of the tree of life and live 
forever. Some persist that because Moses 
mentions Ethiopia and Euphrates, the garden 
was located on earth ; but geographers confess 
they cannot so locate it. There is no locality on 
earth that will suit the description ; travellers 
and explorers have found no such tree as the 
tree of life, nor any such river or water as the 
fountain of life. Such tree and river only ex- 
ist in the blissful realms of heaven, the true 
Eden. Adam and Eve there enjoyed heaven's 
eternal joys, but in an evil hour transgressed 
the commands of God and were banished to 
earth. Time with them was not precious as 
on earth ; space or distance was of but little 
importance to them ; they went forth to any 
portion of the garden or distant heavens, as 
developed in stars, planets, suns, &c., at will, 
and with the rapidity of thought. There was 



Earthy and the Millennium. 167 

no impure, boisterous atmosphere, or unfavor- 
able wind, to arrest tlieir passage or impede 
their flight ; there was no weariness, no thirst, 
no hunger, nor sorrow, nor tears, nor pain, nor 
death, in their heavenly abode. They were 
not then the subjects of disordered flesh, im- 
pure blood, aching bones, nor vicious appe- 
tites, and, if they had resisted temptation and 
sin, might have enjoyed the favor of the living 
God through all eternity. The whole range of 
heaven w^as theirs and the enjoyments thereof 
all granted them, except the fruits of earthy 
which are sin, folly, strife and idolatry : these 
were denied them for their own benefit. Their 
knowledge of good was derived from heaven ; 
their knowledge of evil could be acquired only 
on earth, as it nowhere else exists. 

After Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, 
(i. e. the crimes, vanities and follies of earth,) 
he was sent forth, or driven out, from this heav- 
enly garden to till the ground from whence he 
was taken. So complete and effectual was his 
fall, that " cherubim were placed at the east of 
of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword 



168 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

wMch turned every way, to keep the way of 
tlie tree of life." This ''flaming sword'- lepre- 
6ents death, and the ''cherubim" represent the 
angels of the resurrection, and restoration of 
Adam and his posterity to heaven. The ser- 
pent represents the carnality of earth. 

Adam's violation was positive, so the judg- 
ment of God was swift, and his punishment 
commensurate with his guilt ; and though his 
chastisement was severe, yet how compara- 
tively short with the duration of eternity ! 
Although doomed to a world of sin and dark- 
ness, pain and death, his sentence was but as 
for a moment. Guardian angels were placed 
at the gates, and his Creator stood at the door 
to welcome his return and conduct him back 
to heaven. Without doubt Adam's atonement 
was complete for his own transgression, and 
he is now enjoying the bliss of heaven. 

Just in like manner as Adam fell, so all the 
earth have fallen ; and in like manner as he 
made atonement, all the earth must. When 
Adam was driven to the earth, he found him- 
self in a world of sin, misery, and death. He 



Earthy and the Millennium, 169 

needed no inspiration to inform him of his 
loss. Misery, toil, suffering, pain, sorrow, and 
death, everywhere confronted 'him ; the recol- 
lection of heaven and his present degradation 
bore heavily upon him, and his loss was mani- 
fest. So with all that enter the limits of this 
earth. We enter in pain and misery, live in 
pain and misery, and depart in the same man- 
ner. Our earthly abode is one of change, and 
from the turmoil and strife of earth all crea- 
tures, whether rational or irrational, must soon 
depart. The earth is one great panorama of 
sin, strife, and death. We enjoy but few com- 
forts on it. We enter it in helpless infancy, 
and only by the aid of kind parents or friends 
could survive for a day, or ever attain man- 
hood. As we advance in life, the troublesome 
character of earth becomes more and more ap- 
parent to us, till at length the solemn idea 
that we are in a world of toil, sin, disease, and 
death, becomes patent and is firmly impressed 
on our minds. The changes of earth are con- 
stantly transpiring — misery still enduring, and 
death still completing its work of destruction. 
12 



170 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

In the midst of earth's changes and convul- 
sions, the most untutored mind discovers that 
we cannot exist without some protection from 
the storms of earth; so mankind, even in early 
youth, recognize the fact that labor is neces- 
sary to procure food, raiment, and shelter. So 
we intrench ourselves as best we can against 
the seasons and changes ; but as we build, 
time destroys. Labor and industry relieve 
only temporarily, and it is only by continued 
toil and exertion that mankind can enjoy pro- 
tection from the raging elements. The soil 
yields thistles and thorns spontaneously, and 
but few fruits and cereals without labor. It 
abounds in stones, dirt, &c.; but food, raiment 
and shelter must be obtained by the sv^^eat of 
our brows. To this end mankind engage in 
active labor to retrieve their ruined condition. 
They may, and in fact do, ameliorate their 
hard fate by labor and science ; but the curse 
ander which they groan can only be removed 
by an entire change in the organic laws of 
earth. Strife must be banished from earth, 
otlierwise the creatures thereof must forever 



Earthy and the Millennium, 171 

be its victims. As fast as we build, the ele- 
ments destroy ; as fast as food and raiment are 
produced, tliey are consumed and worn out, or 
time destroys. All the productions and crea- 
tures of earth must soon pass away ; so with 
the pleasures and comforts of man, they are 
but transient in their nature, and soon dis- 
appear. As season succeeds season, so one 
generation succeeds another ; and there is no 
certainty in life. Death is certain, and will 
forever be so while strife abounds on earth. 

In this world scarcely anything is pure ex- 
cept the holy Spirit of God that is implanted 
in us all, and which gives us life and hope, 
and also the light we enjoy directly from heav- 
en. These two, at least, are pure and divine, 
and the one is just as indestructible as the 
other, as impartial and just as the other, when 
free. 

Man, in order to live and avoid death, has 
resorted to every possible experiment and 
practice ; death to him has untold terrors, and 
life has anxieties the most intense. He has 
scaled and undermined mountains, traversed 



172 A PMlosopJiy of Heaven, 

tlie seas, and perambulated every portion of 
eartli accessible to liim, in searcli of things 
tliat would better Ms condition, or alleviate, if 
but for a moment, Ms sufferings ; and if, per- 
cliance, lie might discover tlie tree of life, or 
fountain of living water. It is not to be de- 
nied that he improves his condition by com- 
merce ; but the tree of life, or fountain of liv- 
ing water, does not exist on earth ; hence his 
searches in that behalf have and will prove 
vain. 

In his misery and degradation he very natu- 
rally turns his mind and thoughts to God, and 
seeks relief by prayer. He sees that he is 
doomed to a world of strife and sin, and that 
he is overwhelmed by death, and consigned to 
oblivion and the grave. He has used every 
earthly exertion within human power to avoid 
Ms fate, and entreats his Creator for mercy 
and life. This mercy has not been, and, we 
may confidently affirm, never will be, granted. 
God's laws are as immutable to man as to 
earth. His life-blood is demanded as an atone- 
ment for his transgressions, and death must 



Earth, and the Millennmm, 173 

ensue before he can enjoy the favor of heaven. 
Man has in all ages been a creature of prayer. 
He has instituted ceremonies, made sacrifices, 
sung pagans of praise, to endeavor to reinstate 
himself in the divine favor, and to gain relief 
from the strife, sin, and death, enshrouding 
earth. His ceremonies, his sacrifices, his songs 
of praise, have all proved unavailing. Many 
of them are of the most foolish and absurd de- 
scription, as if to appease His wrath with folly, 
— if, perchance. He might be a whimsical God. 
No effort, creed, ceremony, or incantation, has 
been left untried. Sin, strife, and death, still 
abound; for God is unchangeable, and not to 
be entreated for temporal blessings, and will 
not heed prayer for such. 

It is a matter of astonishment as well as cu- 
riosity to read of the ceremonies and sacrifices 
performed by mankind to gain favor with God. 
These ceremonies and sacrifices are coeval 
with their history, while most all of them are 
of the most meaningless description. When 
the transgressor's own blood was required by 
an omnipotent God, he endeavored to appease 



174 A Fliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

Ms Creator witli that of bulls, goats, and rams. 
In sacrificing these on an altar which he first 
dedicated to God by numerous ceremonies, he 
performed divers incantations and prayed di- 
vers prayers ; but God's judgment remained 
and still remains firm ; His laws are the same, 
and must remain the same. There is no relief 
on earth, but relief comes in death to all who 
obey God's word. Death — this carnal body of 
ours being left destitute of the Spirit of God — 
is the new birth and remedy for man's ills. No 
entreaties to God have or will ever enable a 
single mortal to escape this. Even our Saviour 
was subjected to it, and how futile it is for 
mortals to pray for relief from death, or for 
worldly joys or benefits. 

Prayers for heavenly favors are appropriate, 
but those prompted by earthly gains are un- 
holy. Most of the prayers made by humanity 
are for temporal advantages, and wicked in 
their nature, and should not nor cannot be 
granted by an impartial God. The apostle St. 
James says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because 
ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon 



Earth, and the Millennium. 175 



your lusts." How absurd it is for sensible and 
reasonable beings to implore God to interpose 
His partiality in their behalf! God cannot be 
tempted by prayer, or any other means, to par- 
tiality or favoritism ; yet how much of the re- 
ligion of the present day is founded on that 
assumption. Men are taught to pray for God's 
aid, and without doubt do pray for it, in all 
their business relations of life, however repre- 
hensible or wicked their pursuits may be. The 
evil-disposed man, if possible, w^ould strength- 
en his nerves and increase his energies by 
prayer, even while engaged in the most abom- 
inable w^ork, such as robbing his fellow-man 
and destroying his life. 

What logic is there in prayer for success in 
earthly pursuits? If the merchant loads his 
ship with food and clothing, and dispatches 
her and cargo to a distant port, why should he 
seek the interposition of God in his favor, and 
to crown the enterprise with success ? Does 
he not know that, in order to prove a grand 
success, as he probably prays for, the people 
of the foreign port must be in sore need of food 



176 A FJiilosophy of Heaven^ 

and raiment? What right has he to expect 
God to afflict those people with hunger and 
nakedness that he may extort a few corrup- 
tible dollars from them? What would you 
think of your druggist, if he should procure 
an immense stock of drugs, and then pray 
publicly to Almighty God for quick sales and 
large profits ? Such prayers are but profanity. 
As well might the manufacturer of arms and 
munitions of war implore God for a quick and 
ready sale for his implements of death — the 
plain meaning of which would be for war and 
bloodshed. All such prayers are merely tak- 
ing the name of the Lord in vain, and are 
prompted by Satan. Most of the prayers of 
this world are of just such a nature, being 
prompted by covetousness and greed — some 
through the most damnable desires that fallen 
humanity can conceive. No wonder God does 
not heed them, for they are most abominable 
in His sight. 

There are prayers, however, which are not 
only proper, but a duty that every one owes 
to God; such, for instance, as the Lord's pray- 



Earthy and the Millennium, 177 

er, contained in a few verses of the New Testa- 
ment. That is highly commendable, but, in 
this age of prayers, has, like nearly all else of 
true religion, become nearly obsolete, and its 
place supplied by more fashionable and glow- 
ing ones. How repulsive to all religious sen- 
timent it is to hear a minister, after asking a 
worshiping assembly to kneel in prayer, to 
commence lecturing the Almighty for His 
short-comings and remissness of duty in not 
showing His partiality in a more conspicuous 
manner among the inhabitants of earth, and 
especially to his particular church ; and then 
commence petitioning for ideal blessings, and, 
as he waxes warm, or becomes impassionate, 
to pray for fire or some abomination or evil to 
befall the earth from heaven. If these min- 
isters, whom the world calls gifted in prayer^ 
could have their impious petitions granted, the 
world could not endure. Such is human na- 
ture. We are continually beseeching God to 
relieve us from our infirmities, and also im- 
ploring Him to excuse us for not doing the 
identical thing that he requires us to do, viz., 



178 A PhilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

to obey the golden rule as given by Jesus 
Christ in the seventh chapter of St. Matthew's 
Gospel: ''Therefore all things whatsoever ye 
would that men should do to you, do ye even 
so to them : for [says Christ] this is the law 
and the prophets." 

God's language to Cain, in the beginning, 
was, ''If thou doest well, shalt thou not be ac- 
cepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at 
the door.*" Solomon said, "Let us hear the 
conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God and 
keep His commandments; for this is thewliole 
duty of man. For God shall bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether 
it be good, or whether it be evil/' (Eccles. xii. 
13, 14.) Here is ample proof that religion is and 
always was the same : "In the beginning was 
the Word.'' Eeligion is simple in its nature 
and teachings ; it consists of no metaphysical 
creeds, meaningless ceremonies, or vain pray- 
ers ; but is supreme love and adoration to God, 
and unselfish love, justice, and mercy, to our 
neighbor. Its whole essence is embraced in 
the golden rule, which embodies all the essen- 



Earthy and the Millennium, 179 

tials of religion. All the teachings of Moses 
and the prophets, and of Christ and his apos- 
tles, were details or amplifications of the golden 
rule. All ceremonies are mere shadows or il- 
lustrations of religion, and are of no value or 
importance only as a means of setting forth 
the tiutli of the Gospel. The truth is the Gos- 
pel and religion ; and whatever is not truth, is 
not Gospel or religion. 

Christ said his yoke was easy and his bur- 
den light. He taught no ceremonies. His re- 
ligion was the golden rule, and that our reward 
would be according to our works. His doc- 
trines and teachings have to some extent been 
discarded by his own followers and teachers, 
and the worst of heresies substituted ; one of 
which is, that an individual may violate and 
trample his religion under his feet nearly all 
his life and then gain the chief favors in heaven 
by prayer, and performing certain ceremonies, 
and making certain confessions. This golden 
rule is a matter that requires mankind to per- 
form various duties, all of which are just, sen- 
sible, and merciful; and mankind must be on 



180 A PJiilosophy of Heaven. 

their guard if they would not come short of its 
requirements and the glory of God. Now this 
glory we all desire, but it does not suit us to 
live up to the golden rule ; hence we have in- 
stituted certain rites and ceremonies which all 
rational intelligent persons know are not reli- 
gion, and were not instituted to promote reli- 
gion, but just the reverse, that is, to dispense 
with the duties of religion. 

This love to our neighbor required by reli- 
gion is at times quite exacting ; it requires us 
sometimes to part with a portion of our mon- 
ey, our food, our raiment ; at other times it re- 
quires our personal labor. It requires, indeed, 
our constant watch, and we are to be ready at 
all times to perform its exigencies. Hence we 
have resorted to means to dispense, if possible, 
with the exactions of the religion of the golden 
rule. Prayer is made the chief panacea or king 
cure-all for all our sins and short-comings, and, 
though the subject is ever so vile, and has led 
a life ever so wicked and depraved, we are told 
by the preachers that prayer is the remedy. 
So far as it can be, they have reduced it to a 



Earthy and the Millennium, 181 

science, and tlie wicked transgressor is taught 
to use it without stint — to pray earnestly and 
fervently, and his sins will be wiped or blot- 
ted out and remembered no more ; and espe- 
cially so, if he will confess, recite an absurd 
creed, and submit to an ablution, immersion, 
pouring, or sprinkling, called baptism. 

Christ taught no such doctrine, but precisely 
the reverse. He first taught the golden rule, 
and also restitution when possible. In his ser- 
mon on the mount he said, '' Therefore, if thou 
bring thy gift to the altar, and there remem- 
berest that thy brother hath aught against 
thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and 
go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, 
and then come and off'er thy gift. Agree with 
thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the 
way with him," &c. (Matt. v. 25-27.) Here 
lie preached a plain, honest duty that was to 
be performed ; that is, that we must do justice 
to our brother ; and not only our brother, but 
to our adversary. How could he truthfully 
preach other doctrine, or how could he expect 
an impartial and just God to extend His for- 



182 A Pliiloso'pliy of Heaven^ 

giveness, when it would be the means of pro- 
moting injustice and wrong? God will never 
pardon an individual when wrong and sin 
would thereby triumph. Hence there are cer- 
tain offences that He will not pardon, such as 
offences committed by one brother or neighbor 
against another. We each and all have his 
Holy Spirit dwelling in us. giving us life and 
existence, and these offences against each other 
are, properly speaking, offences against the 
Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveness 
in heaven. '*Know ye not that ye are the tem- 
ples of God, and that the Spirit of God dwell- 
eth in you." (1 Cor. iii. 16.) Upon restitution,, 
or proper efforts at restitution, and often by 
even contrite confession of the transgressing 
brother or neighbor, we must forgive, or the 
sin lieth at our door. 

This principle of religion called forgiveness 
is the most important and all-powerful means 
of a glorious salvation known to the people of 
earth. Christ teaches us to pray for forgive- 
ness as we forgive others. This is one of the 
most serious and solemn lessons inculcated in: 



Earthy and the Millenniiim, 183 

all his teachings, that when, humbled in pray- 
er, beseeching the favors and mercies of heav- 
en, we are not to ask or expect any which we 
Avould deny to others. How all-important, 
then, does this qnestion become ! How cau- 
tious should mankind be lest they treasure up 
in their hearts relentlessness and revenge even 
with their enemies ! This important matter is 
impressed on our minds by Christ in the para- 
ble of the cruel and wicked servant and cred- 
itor. See the 18th chapter of Matthew — read 
it, by all means — and see also the 6th chapter 
of Matthew, Avhich teaches that we will be for- 
given as we forgive one another. God, being 
just and benevolent, will be found more leni- 
ent in judgment than even a father to his own 
son ; hence if we forgive each other, so will He 
forgive us. By the christian and liberal exer- 
cise of this grace, many of us poor mortals will 
undoubtedly find ourselves astonished in the 
resurrection and judgment at the beneficent 
reward bestowed upon us. Instead of finding 
our sins and faults all charged against us by 
our neighbors and meeting deserved punish- 



184 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

ment, we will probably not find a vestige of 
them, because forgiven both by our neighbors 
and Grod himself. 

Here let me observe, mankind are much bet- 
ter than they generally have credit for, and 
as a rule do not generally treasure up each 
other's wrongs, and for this reason alone can- 
not be condemned in the judgment. Christ 
taught, " If ye then, being evil, know how to 
give good gifts unto your children, how much 
more shall your Father which is heaven give 
good things to them that ask him?" Man is 
not, nor never was, deficient in prayer : he is 
always imploring the divine aid both in tem- 
poral and heavenly matters. The fault lies 
with man that he asks and receives not. He 
asks amiss — he asks for blessings that God 
€annot righteously grant ; but all that He can 
so grant, will not be withheld in the judgment 
to come. 

Man's praying disposition also proves him to 
be a much better being than he is accredited 
for. He has unbounded confidence in Grod's 
mercy and goodness, and no want of faith. He 



Earth, and the Millennium. 185 



prays, and gains no advantage or favor of a 
temporal nature ; but nothing baffled, or none 
the less confident, he offers prayer after pray- 
er. If faith will save man, then his salvation 
is a matter of certainty ; and so with prayer. 
But the truth is, neither will suffice without 
^orks. This golden rule, laid down and writ- 
ten in man's heart from the foundation of the 
world, must be observed and obeyed. Prayer 
cannot dispense w^ith it, neither can faith or 
the performance of religious rites. ''By their 
fruits ye shall know them." Prayer has no 
application on earth : the good suffer with the 
evil, and the righteous with the wicked. The 
prayer of neither, even for bread, will not 
be answered, because God's rewards are not in 
this world. The righteous often suffer for 
bread while the wicked oppressor riots in 
wealth and luxury. If God's interposition 
were made at all. He would interpose in favor 
of the rigliteous, weak, and suffering. The 
wicked triumph as often as the righteous in 
this world. Justice often gives place to injus- 
tice, and the strong wrongfully oppress and 
13 



186 A FJdlosopJit/ of Heaxien^ 

even rob and murder the weak. This, howev- 
er, by no means proves that God does not 
exist, or that He is indifferent to justice and 
righteousness, but simply that His judgment 
is reserved for the resurrection. 

The affairs of men and this world are gov- 
erned bylaws the most impartial and the most 
just, and God refuses to interfere in any man- 
ner with the affairs of earth from the fact that 
man is a transgressor of His just laws, and 
has voluntarily relinquished and forfeited his 
claims to the divine favor. So long as he is a 
sojourner in the flesh and the world he is de- 
livered over to evil, and for the time being 
must endure the sins and evils of earth. Hence 
we cannot find any earthly favor with God. 
We may find spiritual favor, but not carnal 
favor. This proves that the earth and man are 
under God's displeasure. Man has endeavored 
by every imaginable means to please God, but 
all to no avail. We cannot please Him in the 
flesh, but must endure carnal death and be res- 
urrected in heaven, which is simply the new 
birth spoken of by our Saviour. 



Earthy and the Millennmm. 187 

I have already affirmed that Clirist taught 
no metaphj^sical creeds or meaningless cere- 
monies. Mcodemus came to Jesus by night, 
and it seems was inquiring the way of salva- 
tion. Christ gave him a brief lecture and dis- 
missed him without requiring him to make a 
single confession or perform a single ceremo- 
ny. The presumption is that he was a good 
ruler and just man, for he was not commanded 
to do anything, or even pray. He was aston- 
ished at the simplicity of Christ's doctrine, 
and seems to have been expecting to receive 
some mysterious creed, or commanded to per- 
form some imposing ceremony. Such was not 
the fact, for he was told that he must be born 
again — of water and of the Spirit — before he 
could enter the kingdom of heaven. The wa- 
ter here means the natural death of the body, 
and the resurrection is the new birth. If oth- 
erwise, Mcodemus was left without advice, for 
he was not commanded to do a single thing. 
(See 3d chapter of St. John's Gospel.) 

The next instance was a ruler, who inquired 
the way of salvation. Jesus answered him : 



188 A PJiilosopJiy of Heaven, 

^'Thoii knowest the commandments, Do not 
commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, 
Do not bear false witness," &c. And he said, 
'' All these have I kept from my youth up." 
Now just here we may very properly infer 
from the sequel that this ruler was guilty of 
falsehood; but which could not be concealed 
from Jesus, as he had a j)ower not possessed 
by us, that of divining men's thoughts. This 
ruler was very rich, and without doubt had not 
obtained his wealth legitimately, or by honest 
trade, or by labor and frugality. In other 
words, he was an usurer, and oppressor of the 
poor : hence, he was commanded to sell his 
property and distribute to the poor (whom he 
had very probably oppressed and wronged), 
and also follow him ; that is, for the future to 
obey the golden rule. He gave him no creed 
to ponder over, nor did he command him to 
perform a single rite, but required him to do a 
substantial act of justice — that is, make resti- 
tution. (See 18th chapter of St. Luke.) 

The third instance was a certain lawyer, 
who stood up and tempted him, saying, "Mas- 



I 



I 



Earthy and the Millennium, 18^ 

ter, what sliall I do to inherit eternal life ? He 
said unto him, What is written in the law? 
how readest thou? And he answering said, 
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy 
strength, and with all thy mind; and thy 
neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, 
Thou hast answered right : this do, and thou, 
shalt live." This is recorded in the 10th chap- 
ter of St. Luke's Gospel. 

St. Mark (chapter 12) records a conversation 
similar to the above between Christ and one of 
the scribes : "And when Jesus saw that he an- 
swered discreetly, he said unto him. Thou art 
not far from the kingdom of God." 

These instances, combined with his sermon 
on the mount, most undoubtedly include the 
whole system of the Christian religion ; other- 
wise the system is defective and his teachings 
imperfect. And if his system of religion was 
perfected by him, the religious world must 
look elsewhere for their ordinances and cere- 
monies, for he neither taught nor commanded 
the observance of any. 



190 A Philosophi/ of Heaven^ 

St. Jolm informs ns tliat Clirist ^' baptized 
not." Jolm did baptize witli water, but said, 
'' One Cometh after me," meaning Christ ; '' he 
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire. (See 3d chapter of St. Luke.) The 
baptism of John and Christ was different. 
John baptized with water, while Christ's bap- 
tism was with spiritual teaching and Gospel 
truth ; hence John likens it to fire. It is quite 
evident from the Scriptures that some of the 
apostles and disciples followed up John's bap- 
tism, and some we learn even baptized unto 
John, or in honor of John, as may be inferred. 
Paul "thanked God" that he baptized only a 
few, and named them, and said he was sent by 
Christ " not to baptize, but to preach the Gos- 
pel." See 1st chapter I. Corinthians; see also 
the 10th chapter, where he taught that "all our 
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed 
through the sea ; and were all baptized unto 
Moses in the cloud and in the sea." 

Now we have baptism by sprinkling, by 
pouring, by immersing ; baptism unto Moses, 
unto John, unto Christ, and did have, without 



Eartli^ and the Millennium. 191 

doubt, unto others. We have it in and with 
the water, in the sea, and in the cloud ; we 
have it with the Holy Ghost, and, to cap the 
climax, with that dreadful thing, fire. We 
have also misery and praying the world over. 
The chief priests, the scribes and elders asked 
Christ a question : ''By what authority doest 
thou these things ?" Before consenting to re- 
ply thereto, Christ asked them one question : 
'' The baptism of John, was it from heaven or 
men ? Answer me." (See lltli chapter of St. 
Mark.) Here he speaks of baptism as a thing 
of the past. Also in the lOtli chapter he spake 
of a baptism that he was baptized with, mean- 
ing his crucifixion and death, with which all 
shall be baptized. Paul, perceiving the Gos- 
pel truth of Christ, taught that all the law was 
fulfilled in one word, even in this, ''Thou slialt 
love thy neighbor as thyself," and that cir- 
cumcision shall profit nothing, for by the works 
of the law shall no fiesh be justified. (See first 
-chapters of epistle to Galatians.) Justification 
by ceremonies is impossible, and the only 
possible excuse that christians can adduce for 



193 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

cerenionious worship is for illustration of heav- 
enly things by them. 

John's baptism is a mystery, and the rea- 
sons calling for its adoption are not now ap- 
parent ; yet he undoubtedly had good reasons 
for it at the time. Let this matter be as it 
may, Christ did not practise it, and the same 
might be said of some of the apostles ; and if 
it is a matter of such serious importance to 
mankind as some believe, then Christ is at 
fault in not explaining more definitely its vir- 
tue and importance. This we are not to pre- 
sume, nor impute fault to Christ ; better by 
far surrender the rite. In all his teachings we 
find the utmost good sense and reasoning, as 
well as truth and justice; but this water bap- 
tism is devoid of reason and common sense, 
and was probably performed in honor and re- 
membrance of John's labors, and the unjust 
and cruel manner in which he lost his life. 
Religion is addressed to rational beings, and 
is itself rational as well as truth ; and when • 
religion is void of reason, we may well affirm 
that it is only idolatry. I call idolatry the 



Earthy and the Millennium. 193 

profession of any religions creed, or the per- 
formance of any religions ceremony or acty 
that is devoid of reason and common sense. I 
call a ceremony, or rite, the performance of a 
religions act that is esteemed by the actor to 
be really essential to his salvation. Hence 
the Lord's snpper is not a ceremony, bnt a 
commemorative service and an emblem of cha- 
rity ; and is not to be condemned, bnt highly 
esteemed. 

It may be trnthfnlly asserted that Christ did 
not in any instance teach any rite or ceremo- 
ny. The institution of the Holy Sacrament is 
not an exception. It was instituted that his 
example and teachings might be perpetuated 
in the memory of the world, and also to incul- 
cate lessons of chanty, The bread he admin- 
istered to his disciples is emblematical of that 
charity which all true christians must admin- 
ister to the suffering poor ; and the wine is 
emblematical of his spiritual teachings, which 
are to be administered to the young and igno- 
rant — which is his baptism. This is to be done 
in remembrance of him ; not that he was de- 



194 A Pliilosovliy of Heaven^ 

sirous of the applause of men, or the honor or 
riches of this world, but that his example and 
teachings might be perpetuated, and his cha- 
rity (taught thereb}^) practised, and the world 
benfitted both temporally and eternally. Here 
w^e have the utmost good sense as well as rea- 
son, and consequently the performance of this 
command is a christian duty, being a method 
of inculcating and perpetuating truth, and is 
not idolatry. This is not even a necessary 
part of religion, but a means of evidencing 
love for Christ and his Gospel. 

In this view of the matter, we clearly see the 
reason why St. Paul cautioned the Corinthians 
to examine themselves before partaking of the 
supper. The supper is an emblem of charity ; 
and if any, for instance, who are able to work, 
shall go about seeking charities and begging 
alms unworthily, then they are to be damned. 
This charity is the Lord's body, and those that 
partake unworthily will suffer for it. The wine 
is emblematical of his holy truth and justice, 
and the damnation is directed against hj^po- 
crites and disbelievers, who are found in the 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 195 

church for temporal and sinister advantages. 
In this view, any charitable man or woman 
that admires Christ's Gospel may very prop- 
erly partake of the supper or sacrament. It is 
a commemorative act, and was designed to in- 
culcate lessons of love, charity, and truth ; and 
also to teach humility, and the great fact that 
we do not live altogether for ourselves, but in 
part for God and our neighbor, be that neigh- 
bor whoever it may. We must bear each oth- 
er's burdens occasionally. We must adminis- 
ter charity even if impostors and hypocrites 
and vagabonds occasionally become partakers. 
God will reward them. Who would burn a 
barn of grain to destroy a few rats and mice ? 
Who would refuse to harvest a field of wheat 
because there were a few tares in it ? If hypo- 
crites deceive us, they cannot deceive God ; so 
let us be charitable. 

The healing of the blind man, recorded in 
the 9tli chapter of St. John's Gospel, is no evi- 
dence that ceremonies are proper. It is true 
that Christ spat on the ground, and made clay 
oi the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the 



196 A PJiilosopJiy of Heaven, 

Mind man^ and commanded him to wash in the 
pool of Siloam, and that he washed and came 
seeing ; yet we are not at liberty to suppose 
that Christ perfected this cure by means of 
sorcery, or that the clay, spittle or washing 
was the cause of the blind man's seeing, or had 
any agency in the cure ; but we must refer the 
cure to Christ's divinity, and not to legerde- 
main. Some, however, would have Christ ap- 
pear as a mere magician or sorcerer, in order 
to justify senseless doctrines, or meaningless 
ceremonies. Christ was not a dealer in hocus 
pocus, nor a professor of legerdemain, but a 
teacher of the rational and everlasting truths 
of God. He resorted to no magic ceremony in 
effecting any of his work, nor in teaching any 
of his truths. The more rational interpretation 
of the blind man's cure is, that, as he was 
blind from his birth, his eyes were in a condi- 
tion to need washing ; and as the man was 
helpless and blameless, and w^ashing necessa- 
ry, Christ took this mode to secure a proper 
ablution rather than create unpleasant feel- 
ings in a helpless man. Christ v/as really a 



Earthy and tJie Millennium, 



197 



polite, liumaiie man, if it is proper to call him 
a man. His cure of the deaf man, recorded in 
the 7tli chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, was not 
effected by conjury. Christ put his lingers 
into his ears, and he spit and touched his 
tongue, and looking up to heaven sighed and 
said, ''Be opened." Now here is a semblance 
of conjury, but on examination we find it quite 
different. This man was deaf, that is, he was 
shorn of one sense which nearlj^ all possess ; 
he had no idea of a thing like sound, nor Avas 
tie acquainted with the power of speech. As 
he could neither hear nor talk, he was ignorant 
of many of his surroundings. Other men had 
ears, and so he knew he had ; as others had 
mouths and tongues, he knew he had, and 
could move the same as the}^. Still he was 
unconscious of sound or speech ; he knew not 
the use of his ears, or what his tongue was 
made for, except for the purposes he used 
them, that is, eating, drinking, spitting, tast- 
ing, &c. He was unconscious of Christ's pow- 
ers, and was without faith in him, for Christ 
was in appearance as the rest of mankind. So 



198 A PMlosopTiy of Heaxen^ 

Christ was to awaken in this man a sense of 
his defects — that is, that there was the sense 
of hearing and power of speecli, and also faith 
in him, and for this purpose he employed these 
simple means. All mankind are defective in 
certain senses and powers, of which we even 
can form no more conception than the deaf 
man ; and if these senses or powers were re- 
stored, mankind would be perfect as the an- 
gels. One of these, of which we are shorn, i& 
spiritual sight. 

It is not my design in this work to justify or 
condemn any man's religion, or the religious 
creeds or ceremonies of any particular denom- 
ination, but simply to prove that religion is 
truth, and that tritth is founded on reason and 
justice; but the teachings of metaphysical 
creeds and meaningless ceremonies are to be 
condemned where they mislead or deceive. 
At present, when a young man is educated for 
the ministry, the important truths embraced in 
the golden rule, or true Gospel, is a matter of 
minor importance. He is educated not to teach 
and inculcate the love, justice, charity, mercy, 



Earthy and the Millennium, 199 

and humility, that this Gospel exacts, but too 
often to defend a meaningless batch of creeds 
and ceremonies. To this end he searches the 
Bible for isolated passages bearing on the 
subject, or aiding him in his defence ; he reads 
learned commentators (learned in such secta- 
rian dogmas) ; and finally, if he is able to 
make a good defence of the religious creeds or 
rites of his particulaar church, he is accounted 
worthy for the ministry — when the all-patent 
truth is, he is scarcely better qualified for a 
preacher than he is for a juggler. His study 
has not been how to inculcate and enforce the 
Gospel precepts, but to show how their force 
may be avoided. 

This doctrine of faith without works, to say 
the least of it, is one of the most dangerous 
ever preached to an inquiring world. The idea 
that a person can neglect and even disdain the 
love, justice and mercy contained in the golden 
rule, and then in the eleventh hour, if you 
please, give a reward equal to those who have 
obeyed it through life, is questionable, if not 
absurd and impossible. The parable of the 



200 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

laborers in tlie vineyard, at first view, wonld 
seem to warrant this, but on closer inspection 
it does not. The laborers that came in at the 
eleventh honrTeceived full pay ; not, however, 
for idleness or vice, but because they were 
ready and in search of employment. These 
men would have Vv^Uingly worked all day, but 
no employment was oflfered. And it often 
happens the same in life ; men do not work 
because necessity nor charity does not require 
it. If the naked are clothed, the hungry fed, 
the young and ignorant taught, and the stran- 
ger entertained, &c., we are left without chris- 
tian works, and consequently must of neces- 
sity wait for employment ; but if we hope to 
receive full reward we must be like the labor- 
ers, on the watch ; and not only on the watch, 
but must work when called. God, in His abun- 
dance, will then reward all alike, for all have 
performed their duty. 

So also with the parable of the prodigal son. 
He became tired of serving his father, demand- 
ed his portion, went into a far country, and 
there wasted his substance in riotous living; 



Earthy and the Millennium, 201 

but after lie had expended all, he returned to 
his father, and was joyfully welcomed. This 
parable is only typical of the idolater ; the 
phrase ''dev^ouring thy living with harlots" is 
typical of idolatrous Avorship ; ''living" repre- 
sents truth, which was sacrificed for idolatry. 
The offence of this prodigal w^as one directly 
against God, and one that He could righteous- 
ly pardon, and consequently did so ; but if the 
offence had been of a different nature, and di- 
rected against the children of God or Holy 
Ghost — that is, if the prodigal had returned 
stained with covetousness, oppression, theft, 
and the blood of his fellow-men — liis reception 
would have been different. He was addicted to 
idolatry, and had become convinced of the er- 
ror of its teachings and practices, and was fully 
Impressed with its emptiness; hence he re- 
pented or turned away from it, and sought the 
truth, the living of his father. He approached 
Ills father with the truth, and was joyfully 
received. Idolatry may or may not be sin ; 
but so far as it misleads, it is to be con- 
demned. 
14 



203 A Pliilosoijliy of Heaven^ 

The case of the thief on the cross is often 
cited for the eleventh hour doctrine. The spir- 
itual condition of one of those thieves who 
were crucified with Christ was excellent. He 
was, or had been, a violator of God's law ; he 
confessed it and was expiating his guilt on the 
cross, and that willingly. Suppose the per- 
sons from whom he had stolen were there pres- 
ent observing his crucifixion, would they not 
have forgiven him, without restitution, on his 
confession and severe atonement then being 
inflicted on him? Had they not already done 
so? If not, they should have done so, for he 
was making all the recompense and atonement 
that mortal could do, and that willingly and 
honestly ; hence he was a proper case for par- 
don. Here it may be observed, that if an indi- 
vidual is forced by the temporal law to make 
restitution or atonement for transgression, and 
the atonement and restitution is full, ample, 
and just, then God will forgive whenever the 
individual confesses its justice and asks for- 
giveness ; but it is futile to ask if we have not 
performed our duty to the injured party. We 



Earth, and the Millennium. 203 

must make recompense, and then confess our 
faults, first to tlie injured party, then to God; 
and never to preachei^s, unless for advice — un- 
less, perchance, we have injured the preacher. 

Christ gives us a lesson in the parable of 
the good shepherd, in the 10th chapter of St. 
John's Gospel, concerning the attempt to gain 
admission to heaven except by the Gospel 
truths. He was addressing the Pharisees, a 
sect of Jews quite fond of ceremonies, tradi- 
tions of the elders, and long prayers. He 
said, ''He that entereth not by the door into 
the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other 
way, the same is a thief and robber." This 
scathing rebuke to the ceremonies, hypocri- 
sies, and long prayers of the Jews, was not 
understood by them till an exposition of the 
same was made by him ; but after they under- 
stood its meaning, they accused him of having 
a devil and of being mad, so oflfensive was the 
truth to them. 

The Bible is full of evidence that mankind 
will and must be judged by their works. Re- 
ligion and faith in God are proved by works. 



204 A FJiilosophy of Heaven^ 

No man can believe that God exists in omnip- 
otent power, and that He reigns in a heaven of 
unbounded glory, and that He will resnrrect 
him after death, and reward him through all 
eternity according to his works on earth, with- 
out making some efforts to gain that reward, 
A man cannot believe without working. Hence 
we see some men that the world calls wicked, 
or "hard cases," foremost in works of real 
charity ; even poor men, who have no money 
or property to bestow, are often found labor- 
ing much of their time to render comfortable 
others less fortunate ; who sometimes take 
large tasks upon themselves for the benefit of 
others, well knowing that they will receive no 
pay in this world. Now, inquire into this 
matter, and you will find that the gospel of 
the golden rule is forcing them to this con- 
duct ; it is impleading in their hearts to extend 
mercy and help to others, as they would like 
if conditions were changed. This golden rule 
and sermon on the mount is written in the 
hearts of all. Christian, Pagan, heathen, civil- 
ized, and barbarous. It makes us a law unto 



Earthy and the Millennium, 205 

ourselves, and is the Gospel of Christ and re- 
ligion of God. Men shonld not be tanght for 
an instant to disregard it, and, in case they 
transgress it, no hope of pardon should be 
held out, except by restitution or confession to 
the injured party, and pardon by him if resti- 
tution cannot be made; after which he may 
pray God for His forgivness, and for fortitude 
to resist wrong and temptation in the future. 

How much better for society, and how much 
safer, is the performance of the requirements 
of the golden rule! It is peace, Imppiness, 
and power, to nationalities. Every one, in 
fact, loves the justice, mercy, and benefits 
flowing from the exercise of this rule, however 
little they may be inclined to live up to it. 
Hence, nations who obey its teachings and 
observe it most closely, always thrive best, 
and their subjects are happier and more pros- 
perous than any on earth. The rule is so 
plain that all can comprehend it, having noth- 
ing mysterious about it. Its strict observance 
begets a high degree of civilization and na- 
tional prosperity. Mankind can immeasura- 



206 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

\>\j improve their eartlily welfare by it, and 
in fact do so, and tliey should all observe it 
for this reason, even if there was no prize in 
eternity. But Christ promised blessings on 
earth, and life eternal in heaven, to all wlio 
obey it. Then it behooves us all to engage in 
works of charity and forgiveness, the most ex- 
cellent graces of earth, compared to which all 
others, aside from love, are as sounding brass 
and tinkling cymbals. 

But how is it with the religion of creeds, cer- 
emonies, penances, &c. ? People listen to their 
articles of faith ; they say they repent, they 
confess, and submit to their creeds and ordi- 
nances. They return home, and find them- 
selves the same corrupt, degraded beings; they 
have the s^me hardships, toils, temptations, 
sinSj and death, to encounter as before ; and, 
besides, have numerous confessions (some of 
which are false, and required to be public) to 
make and duties to perform not otherwise re- 
quired. As soon a,s their religious excitement 
vanishes, a great many become disgusted at 
the useless requirements of the church, and 



Earthy and the Millennium, 207 

unjust restraints imposed upon tliem, and 
finally abandon the cliurcli ; or, as St. Peter 
more forcibly declares, ''But it is happened 
unto them according to the true proverb : The 
dog is returned to his own vomit again, and 
the sow that Avas washed to her wallowing in 
the mire." St. Peter says, "It had been better 
for them not to have known the way of riglit- 
oousness"; but it is to be hoped that he would 
allow a difference between righteousness and 
unreasonable creeds and burdensome ceremo- 
nies. Others, by the powder of this Gospel 
truth, become truly converted ; and others, 
having always been the best of Christians, 
and believing duty to call them into church 
organizations, endure these creeds, make the 
confessions, and perform the useless ceremo- 
nies of the church, all their lives. Yes, they 
have these burdens to carry all their lives, or 
bo disgracefully ejected from the church. 

But some will say, how shall men worship? 
Worship God in spirit, truth, and reason ; per- 
form the duties required by the golden rule, 
from the cradle to the grave ; let what may 



208 A PliilosopJiy of Heaven, 

happen, cling to truth and right; honor God 
by building churches, preaching the truth in 
them, and by singing and praying appropriate 
prayers ; have rules of decorum and strict be- 
havior during worship, and also such just and 
reasonable rules as the welfare of the church 
requires. But lay aside creeds and ceremo- 
nies ; these caused dissensions among Christ's 
chosen apostles. When they met at Jerusa- 
lem (see Acts xv.) to consider of these dissen- 
sions concerning circumcision, how eflfectually 
was it disposed of. It was declared not im- 
portant ; and no other ceremony was ever dis- 
cussed among the apostles, for the result of 
that conference was the laying aside of all 
ceremonies, and the preaching of the plain 
Gospel. Let the reader reflect on the light 
burdens that were laid on the Gentiles. The 
injunction might properly be styled a com- 
mand to obey the golden rule. The Gentiles 
w^ere not to be burdened with Jewish ceremo- 
nies or ordinances ; but in this age, if a man 
will not submit to the creeds and ceremonies 
of particular churches, he will not be acknow- 



Eartli^ and the Millennium. 209 

ledged or allowed to be a Christian, though he 
lias been one from his youth. 

These dissensions are working immense mis- 
chief at present. Various Christian churches 
do but little else than attack and defend 
creeds and ceremonies, and the minister's ca- 
pacity is reckoned accordingly ; and so blind- 
ed have they become in this degraded warfare 
that they are unable to see that truth suffers, 
and may be lost sight of in the contest. 

The Christian world have also the same su- 
perstitious veneration for their ceremonies 
that the Pagan idolater has for his idols : they 
were practised by their fathers, and are con- 
sidered holy. Both Christian and Pagan idol- 
aters are alike intolerant and even cruel ; they 
condemn all to hell that will not worship as 
themselves. They cannot be taught that reli- 
gion is truth, and is sanctioned by reason. 
How greatly will they be astonished in the 
resurrection when they find that God judges 
according to truth, justice, and reason, instead 
of their creeds and ceremonies ! When men 
call warfare Christianity, then it is in danger 



210 A FJiilosopTiy of Heaven^ 

of repudiation by the intelligent world. The 
very fact that this warfare exists proves the 
fallacy of creeds, ceremonies, &c., because 
they are of men, are imperfect, and subject to 
reprehension. God's gospel and religion is 
perfect, reasonable, just, and holy ; and the 
veriest scoundrel, hypocrite, or murderer, will 
confess it to be so. Tiie force of the golden 
rule is acknowledged by all, however vile or 
degraded. Confront the heathen, or savage, or 
idolater, with it, and he will acknowledge its 
binding efhcacy, and apologise for its non- 
performance. The man that denies this rule 
is degraded below the brutes of earth, and is 
to be spurned as a thief, robber and murderer. 
None, however, deny its binding force ; even 
the worst of criminals confess it, and, to ex- 
cuse its requirements, all transgressors inter- 
pose the plea of necessity, or uncontrollable 
circumstances, for a justification of their con- 
duct. 

Here we might digress for a moment and 
take a glance at this excuse. This plea exists 
but in a very limited sense. It cannot excuse 



<^ 



Earthy and the Millennium. 211 

aggressive Avrong, war and strife ; it cannot re- 
lieve from the performance of charity. It has 
no force to cover the sin of pride, folly, vanity, 
extortion, and oppression, and these are the 
cases in which it is most commonly interposed. 
Unless we examine onrselves closely and scru- 
tinize onr conduct carefully, we are certain to 
be misled \^y this plea. It is not of heaven, 
but of earth, and is sensual and devilish, and 
without doubt more souls will be disgraced 
and condemned by it in eternity than by any 
other, save one. 

The oppression of the poor and weak will, 
without controversy, cause more damnation in 
eternity than all other sins combined; this 
arises from an imperfect development or total 
absence of charity. A person may have love 
in some degree for the poor and weak, yet 
this love is not of that fervid description suffi- 
cient to counteract selfishness or the devil. 
From want of i3roper exercise love becomes 
faint, and the possessor then begins his op- 
pressions of the weak and poor ; covetousness 
seizes the place that love should occupy, and 



212 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

the individual commences exacting usury and 
practising extortion on tliat neighbor whom 
he should love as himself. These acts of usu- 
ry, extortion, &c., are prolific of misery, suffer- 
ing, and often, remotely, of murder. They are, 
as it were, missiles hurled against society. 
The strong, the independent, and the preacher 
stand aside and the missiles pass, and, what 
is the more lamentable, the weak and helpless 
become the victims: so the infant, the sick, 
and helpless old age, are the chief sufferers ! 
The minister observes these evil practices, but 
he does not consider that he is particularly 
called upon to preach right and justice, but 
rather to defend creeds and ceremonies. Be- 
sides, he probably knows that he lias not 
taught his church that such were wrong, and 
that if he should trace up these malpractices 
he might find that they originated in his own 
flock. The same may be only too truthfully 
observed of other wrongs. It is deplorable 
and shameful that mankind derive but little 
of their knowledge of wright and wrong, and 
of love and mercy, from the preachers. 



Earth, and the Millennium. 213 

Necessity is a plea claimed alike by Chris- 
tians, moralists, tyrants, robbers, and murder- 
ers. It is often interposed when there is not 
the least foundation for its existence. Man is 
too often the parent of his own necessities ; 
his necessities are begotten by a disregard of 
the golden rule, and cannot justify any tor- 
tious act, nor excuse him in the performance 
of duty. We are not to trust this plea only 
when we are not at fault and when circum- 
stances are beyond our control. It cannot be 
doubted that the employment of force, and 
even war and bloodshed, is at times justifiable 
under this plea ; but it must be of a defensive 
nature, and not aggressive for the purpose of 
robbery and plunder, either of property or 
natural rights. Most of the strife and wars of 
mankind are prompted by a spirit of vanity 
and robbery. Yet, gild this chief of all villa- 
nies — aggressive war, rapine and murder — 
with the appellation of patriotism; beat a 
drum and throw a flag to the breeze, and how 
many Christians and professors of religion are 
ready to enlist for the carnage ! They do not 



214 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

even halt to reflect on tlie justice of their acts, 
or the enormity of the deeds they are about to 
perpetrate. Thej' are to be cloaked with pa- 
triotism. Xo difference if it is oppression, 
robbery, and murder — no diff*erence if the peo- 
ple you assail merely claim tlie rights you 
claim and enjoy — this specious plea of patriot- 
ism is to justify you. Away with such teach- 
ings ! away with such religion 1 for they are of 
the devil. What must be the degradation and 
shame of those men and rulers who foment 
strife and bloodshed among mankind — who 
kill, rob and plunder other nations through a 
spirit of vanity ! Their reward can scarcely 
excel that of hyenas or brutes. These brutes 
are often cited by the christian world as exem- 
plary and great — great because their deeds are 
damnable, and the injuries they have inflicted 
on the earth irreparable. Whence comes this 
false philosophy? w^hy this false teaching? 
why these damnable wrongs? Simply because 
mankind and the ministry are teaching idle 
creeds and puerile ceremonies instead of the 
eternal truths of God. So that their dogmas 



Earth, and the Millennium. 215 

are confessed and their shibboleths uttered^ 
and so the subject exhibits a sanctimonious 
exterior and refrains from dancing and other 
amusements, the spiritual guides would send 
him to heaven, and bespeak for him its high- 
est seats of glory and honor, though he was 
stained with extortion, oppression of the poor^ 
and even robbery and murder. If this be reli- 
gion, then religion is in vain, and of earth. 
Not so though, reader. We are to be judged 
and rewarded according to our works, and our 
works are the evidences of our religion. Reli- 
gion is not a gift, but a duty we all owe ta 
God, and is of life- time duration ; and this 
duty we must perform, or suffer degradation 
and shame in eternity. 

These ceremonies, creeds and traditions of 
men were severely condemned by Christ. He 
accused the priests and elders of imposing 
burdens on the people that they themselves 
would not touch or move with one of their fin- 
gers — of casting the moat out of their neigh- 
bor's eye while a beam was in their own — of 
straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel — 



216 A PhilosopTiy of Heaven. 

of making long prayers for a pretence, while 
tliey devoured widows' liouses — of climbing 
intx) tlie slieepfold or entering lieaven by waj's 
other than the door, or obedience to the gold- 
en rule. And he reproved the Jews for divers 
other practices of like nature. Some say he 
was vindictive in his abuse. This we cannot 
admit. The evil of the Jewish teachings and 
ceremonies was great; they had misled men 
from the true Gospel, as now ; and hence his 
denunciation was only adequate to the evil. 
The Jews were then, as the religious world is 
now, much wedded to creeds and ceremonies; 
they were neglecting the weighty matters of 
the law to perform these ; their ceremonies 
were handed down, as now, from their ances- 
tors, and were then, as now, venerated. When 
Christ attacked them, they considered that 
not only their judgment was attacked, but 
that he had assailed their honor, their sincer- 
ity, their religion, and their God, when in 
truth he had assailed naught but their follies 
and false teachings. He did not endeavor to 
condemn but to enlighten their understanding. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 217 

They considered it differently ; therefore they 
accused him of madness, blasphemy, and sedi- 
tion, and unjustly crucified him, though he 
was found not guilty at least twice, if not of- 
tener. But the Jews could not bear to have 
their rites and doctrines questioned, so they 
crucified him. Let me here again assert that 
Ms crucifixion, death, and resurrection, are no 
part of his religion ; but the same consists in 
his example and teachings, and is truth, and 
existed from eternity. Hence, those that obey 
Ms teachings, or the golden rale, will be saved 
though they never heard of Christ. He taught 
no sectarian religion. The belief in him is a 
belief of truth, and the performance of it. 

I cannot dismiss this subject without a word 
of apology for the plain manner and candor in 
w^hicli I have treated it. I would not by any 
means have the reader believe that I am a 
contemner of churches, church worship, or the 
ministry. There is no man that more heartily 
approves of churches, church worship, and the 
ministry, than myself. While I have pointed 
out some errors, they are mere ciphers com- 
15 



218 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

pared to the usefulness and benefits wMcti they 
are conferring on mankind. I do not wish to 
be understood as questioning the sincerity of 
professors or teachers, and wish them abund- 
ant success. The minister is too often poorly 
provided for, especially if he teaches plain 
truths and condemns error. If the reader is a 
member of the church, let him remain there. 
Religion is perfect, but church government is 
not, nor need the reader expect to find perfec- 
tion in any church ; consequently, if he can 
truthfully comply wi^h the requirements of his 
church, let him do so. It is the duty of all to 
support the church, whether members or not. 
Without churches and the ministry mankind 
would soon relapse into barbarism, and soci- 
ety plunge into anarchy, strife and bloodshed. 
I wish further to observe that no creed, con- 
fession, or ceremony, is of any damaging 
nature to any individual whatever unless it is 
false, and false in such a manner as to cause 
harm to others, or evil in its nature, or causes 
error and wilful error by misguiding others. 
Many ceremonies are of the most innocent na- 



Earthy and the Millemiium. 



219 



ture ; others are of a wicked and superstitious 
nature, such as throwing infants under Jug- 
gernaut cars or ''holy" vehicles, or thiowing 
them into rivers, as a sacrifice to imaginary 
gods ; burying women alive on the death of 
their husbands, and such like deeds. These 
should teach us to be on our guard in comply 
ing with superstitious ceremonies. 

The whole carnal nature of man is corrupt 
and vicious, and is also in a state of antagon- 
ism to the principles of truth and righteous- 
ness. His carnal nature is at war with his 
divine nature. The first is the representative 
of earth and sin, while the latter is the repre- 
sentative of heaven and righteousness. His 
carnal nature is selfishness, while his divine 
nature is truth, justice to all, love, mercy, and 
holiness. The flesh prompts to evil deeds, 
while the spirit forbids. Sliame and degrada- 
tion in eternity certainly await all who diso- 
bey the teachings of the spirit and yield to 
carnality. This carnality, or self-worship and 
vanity, is so rife in the world that it must be 
controlled by temporal laws of society, and 



220 A Plillosoijhy of Heaven^ 

punished with corporeal punishment, otherwise 
man's existence on earth would be quite lim- 
ited. This carnality is Satan unloosed, and 
the natural state of all the flesh of earth is 
war and strife, and peace the exception, Man 
has instituted social government in order to 
alleviate the suff*erings ensuing from this strife 
and war, but has never been able to eradicate 
the evil. This war and strife is one of the evils 
of earth from w^hich there is no escape. In 
vain have communities and nationalities form- 
ed compacts for peace, protection, and social 
security. Sin and the changes of earth sweep 
them away, and robbery, carnage and devas- 
tation follow. While men and nations fancy 
themselves in peace and security, they are 
probably on the threshhold of strife and death. 
Satan is raging and seeking whom he may de- 
vour. He exists in all flesh, rational and irra- 
tional, and is the fomenter of all strife and 
every evil w^ork. A man may be ever so good 
and just, and ever so much inclined to peace, 
yet he has no assurance that his neighbor is 
so. Hence there arises distrust, because we 



Earthy and the Millennium. 221 

know there is an evil spirit in the world. If 
this evil spirit is properly restrained by tem- 
poral laws, it begets confidence in society. 
The terror of temporal punishment increases 
security ; but the moment this terror is relax- 
ed, society is plunged into strife, anarchy, and 
war. If we are in a country where no such 
compact exists, then we can only rely on our 
strength for protection. Hence, if two broth- 
ers should meet in such a country and did not 
recognize each other, they would naturally be 
disposed to avoid a close meeting. This is 
not as it should be, but proves that there is 
an extraordinary vile principle in man — this 
principle is self and vanity. This same prin- 
ciple causes brutes to fight when coming in 
contact, just as it often causes men and na- 
tions. Vanity, though so often excused, is one 
of the most vile and degrading passions of 
earth; it is the parent of relentlessness and 
revenge, and creates more wrong, misery and 
suffering on earth than any other principle. It 
likewise begets numerous follies and artificial 
wants. In truth, mankind labor more to aug- 



222 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

ment tlie follies of vanity than to satisfy their 
natural wants. 

The strife that pervades earth and the na- 
ture of man also exists in his own system or 
frame. He is suspended in convulsions, in the 
form of breathing, between heaven and earth 
and between life and death. Tliese convulsive 
breathings are a contest between life and death. 
His system cannot be understood by phj^si- 
cians or philosophers. Why, this convulsive 
breathing, this breath of animal life, is a mys. 
tery as profound as godliness itself! Why life 
exists, no man can elucidate other than by 
ascribing it to the direct agency of God. The 
Spirit of Grod exists in us, giving us life, and 
the moment it is withdrawn the mortal is a 
wreck of ruin. This spirit of man is restless, 
impatient, and full of anxious hope. It is con- 
scious that it does not, only transiently, be- 
long to earth. It feels as a bird entrapped, 
and that it is condemned to a prison in its 
fleshly tabernacle. But rend the tabernacle or 
prison with violence, or wreck it with disease 
and misery so as to admit its escape, and it 



Earthy and the Millennium, 223 

quits its earthly tenement and wings its flight 
with the speed of thought to the Grod who gave 
it. Here we have the resurrection of the man, 
the triumph of truth, and the degradation of 
the flesh. The flesh, after the spirit has taken 
its everlasting leave, is then seen in its true 
light, a mass of ruin and corruption. All that 
was good has returned to God, there to receive 
the bliss of heaven according to its works. 
This was the true man ; that which remains is 
corruption. Hence we find some secluded spot 
and commit the remains to the tomb, because 
it is not our friend who has departed, but only 
his infirmities. As solemn as this separation 
of soul and body may be to us, it is only the 
new birth of the soul in the eternal heavens, 
and the putting off corruption for incorrup- 
tion, of mortality for immortality; and that 
man or woman who entertains the belief that 
this change may be for the worse, even though 
its subject be notoriously criminal, has not 
sufficient faith and trust in God, whose power 
is infinite and His mercy all-abounding. And 
though our rewards will, and should be, pro- 



224 A Philosophy of Beave7i, 

portioned to our works, heaven is so pure and 
sublime that the least and most degraded 
there will excel the greatest and most exem- 
plary of earth; at least, Christ conveys the 
idea ; and it is so reasonable from what we do 
see and know, that none should dare dispute it. 



CHAPTER V. 

THK RESURKECTION. 

R3MABKS — NOT SPECIAL BUT GENEBAIi — EFFECTED BY NATTTBAI* 
LAWS — COMBINED POWEPtS OF HEAYBN AND EABTH EFFECT IT — 
EVIDENCES OF IT — CERTAINTY OF IT — TRANSftHOBATION OF SOUI^ 
ON EARTH DENIED — EXAMPLES — VEGETATIOt^ — AN^^^AL LIFE- 
CONSCIOUSNESS — DREAMING — INNATE KNOWLEDGE OF IT-- ABUN- 
DANT LIFE OF EARTH — ABUNDANT LIFE OF HEAVEN — THE JUDG- 
MENT — yHE REWARDS— THE GOOD — THE EVIL— GOD's BENEVO- 
LENCE—HIS MERCY— HIS PROVISION FOR ALL. 

In the last chapter we view^ed the situation 
of man on earth, his existence, his religion, 
and his death and burial ; w^e will now^ exam- 
ine a few among the many evidences of his 
resurrection. 

We will at the outset proceed as if we had 



Earth, and the Millennium, 225 

no Bible or revelation, and see how far nature 
proves it. St. Paul says in 1st chapter of Ro- 
mans, '*For the invisible things of Him from 
the creation of the world are clearly seen, be- 
ing understood by the things that are made^ 
even His eternal power and Godhead ; so that 
they are without excuse." The heavens de- 
clare the existence of a supreme and iniinite 
God ; they also prove that they were not made 
for a vain or capricious purpose, but for the 
enjoyment of beings far superior to any on 
earth. The God who created them has limit- 
less power; He gives life and existence to the 
creatures of earth and to those of heaven. The 
destiny of both heaven and earth is controlled 
by His will, which is exerted in accordance 
with laws at once perfect, just, uniform, im- 
partial, and eternally unchanging. The mo- 
tions of the heavenly bodies prove this. We 
see that God has provided room for all, for 
heaven is an endless infinity of planets, suns, 
and emerald-like spheres, free from toil, de- 
sire, pain, misery, sorrow, tears, and death. 
We know that He has power to resurrect us 



226 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

all, and the only question that remains to be 
examined is whether He has made provision 
for our resurrection and enjoyment in heaven. 

There are persons who believe in the trans- 
migration of souls from one body to another 
here on earth. Man, it is said, has imagined 
that he recognized a departed relative or friend 
in a cat, dog, or horse. This is folly and su- 
perstition. No such thing could take place. 
We have instances of insects undergoing great 
changes in form, color, and external appear- 
ance ; but life was the same in each. Changes 
occur also in the life of men and animals, as 
from infancy to manhood, and from manhood 
to old age and death ; but the spirit is the same, 
and the same animating cause. 

Death effects a change that is permanent 
and involuntary. It entirely overpowers the 
flesh and leaves it a mass of ruin ; and when 
the spirit of life has once fled from the carnal 
body, it is free from the pains and degrada- 
tion of earth, never more to return. There is 
an innate sense that teaches us that there is a 
heaven and a God, and a race of beings and 



A Philosophy of Heaven, 227 

an enjoyment greatly superior to earth. This 
sense is divine, and is the parent of fortitude 
and hope. It is the same that sustains and 
enlivens us when approaching death's door, 
either by disease or old age. Even w^hen in 
the throes of death, it teaches that the change 
is not for the v^^orse ; that, though the earthly 
body dies, the immortal soul of man makes an 
eternal gain. This sense makes the old man 
of fourscore years as lively and hopeful, and 
even more cheerful, than the youth of eighteen 
or twenty years. In robust health, we have a 
great horror of death ; but when reduced to a 
dying state, this sense of a better world and a 
reunion with our departed friends in heaven 
banishes this dread. The immortal soul be- 
gins to assert its dominion over the carnal 
body, for its deliverance and new birth is at 
hand. The great truth that death is its eter- 
nal gain, is now becoming visible. This innate 
sense teaches the resurrection of the dead, and 
is true and divine in its nature. 

There is a principle in man which he derives 
from heaven that prompts him to believe that 



228 A PJiilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

he and his departed friends and relatives must 
again meet. Hence he is on the look-out for 
his departed friends and relatives. He watches 
and searches the graveyard, the lonely places 
of earth, and the secret chambers, intuitively, 
as if but to catch a glimpse of them. He is 
conscious that they exist somewhere, and that 
their existence is of a powerful nature ; hence 
his anxiety and search. Bui all his searches 
on earth have proved and will prove in vain, 
because earth is not suited to their abode ; 
and if we get any glance of them, we must 
cast our eyes heavenward. There we behold 
a place that is not only suited, but has abun- 
dant room for our departed friends and rela- 
tives, and also for all the creatures of earth 
that have existed or will exist. 

The reader must bear in mind that heaven 
embraces the whole infinity of creation, uni- 
versal space, and mechanism, as exhibited in 
the starry firmament. Only a part, and a very 
small part, of heaven is thus exhibited to our 
eyesight. Now, the earth is one of the stars 
and a part of heaven, and is as a mere bubble 



Earthy and the Milleiinium, 229 

on the ocean compared to the remainder. Ma- 
ny of the fixed stars, and even secondary ones, 
are many times larger than this earth. These 
planets, stars, and suns, exist through all 
space. Their number and boundaries and ex- 
tent paralyze speech, and reduce the imagina- 
tion to beggary. Xo human mind can con- 
ceive the limits, extent or duration of eternity 
and space. Thought can rapidly overcome 
space and count myriads of years, but the 
depths of eternity are beyond its powers. 
Now, if this architecture of God exists above, 
below, and all around us, as it certainly does, 
what is the relation of the other heavenly bo- 
dies to earth, or earth to them ? Is there no 
communion between them? If so, it behooves 
us to study and ascertain this communion. 

We find that there are certain elements on 
earth, as fire, air, earth, and water; and we 
further find that animal and vegetable life are 
approximately produced by them ; that heat 
and cold, as they exist on earth, have appa- 
rently life-giving and life-destroying proper- 
ties, which are exerted through the action of 



230 A FMlosovTiy of Heaven^ 

tlie air and the properties of earth. But the 
question presents itself here, can these prop- 
erties of earth give or sustain life of them- 
selves? The answer is emphatically that they 
cannot. They must have the assistance of the 
light of heaven, and also the Spirit of God. 
Exclude the light of heaven, and you extin- 
guish life; withdraw the Spirit of God from 
the things of earth, and they are dead. So we 
find that there is a direct communion between 
this earth and heaven, and that by two of the 
most powerful elements known to creation — 
the spirit of life, and the light of heaven. 

Light is a powerful element, and capable of 
supporting and driving the vast architecture 
of heaven, including this ^' cumbrous earth." 
It has properties just as air, earth, and water, 
only on a scale as far superior to earth as 
heaven is to earth. The earth is the habita- 
tion of the creatures of the air, while heaven 
is the habitation of the creatures of the light. 
Light is pure, equable, and serene ; while the 
air is impure, boisterous, and turbulent, and 
unfit for the abode of angels. 



Earthy and the Millennium. 23 i 

But in what manner do the creatures of 
earth pass from earth to heaven ? It is by cer- 
tain organized and unerring laws of nature, 
and not by any partial act or providence of 
God. As nature and the Spirit of God placed 
man on earth, so will the same nature and 
Spirit resurrect him to eternal life. If earth 
can give carnal life, why not heaven give spir- 
itual life ? Heaven has multiplied more pow- 
ers than earth. 

Mankind are skeptical because they cannot 
spiritually see and discern for themselves ; but 
man is a transgressor and a degraded being, 
and is not in his proper condition. If he was 
free from condemnation and in his true estate, 
there would be no necessity for the change. 
His condemnation is deprivation of many of 
his spiritual powers, such as spiritual sight 
and the power of locomotion or change of 
place at will, as we may very justly infer, and 
the substitution of earthly powers, such as ap- 
petite, fatigue, sense of cold, &c. Many of our 
powers are shorn from us, and will never be 
restored on this earth. Another of these pow- 



332 A PhllosopJiy of Heaven, 

ers is the divining of men's thoughts. This 
we have not, and are therefore the subjects of 
frequent impositions or cheats. There are 
without doubt divers others, which, if we had 
them, would make us equal to the angels of 
heaven. Because man has not the perceptive 
faculty to see God and the angels of heaven, 
nor wisdom to understand their nature, it does 
not prove that they do not exist. We know 
they do exist because their works are visible. 
It only proves that their existence is of a na- 
ture far more excellent and exalted than ours. 
God has exhibited to us His eternal heaven, 
and has taught us by nature that our resurrec- 
tion may be implicitly relied upon. For illus- 
tration : Plant an acorn in the soil ; presently 
the seasons force it to swell, then burst and 
shoot out into the open air, and then grow and 
branch out to be a mighty tree, waving its 
branches in the air, which is an element quite 
different from the soil from which it sprang. 
It springs from the soil to the atmosphere, and 
is nurtured by the seasons till it becomes a 
mighty tree. Now, why did it vegetate, grow, 



Earthy and the Millennium. 233 

and become a tree ? The reason is not known 
to man, but is to be attributed to the power of 
Ood, who gave life to the acorn. This life was 
manifested by certain unerring laws. Why 
will not a marble grow and become a tree ? 
Because it is not possessed of life, and God's 
laws have no vivifying effect upon it. The 
acorn grew and became a tree because it had 
life in it, because it was in elements adapted 
to its growth, and was nurtured properly by 
seasons of moisture, rain, and heat. Man and 
the creatures of earth are possessed of like life, 
T3ut on a more excellent and exalted scale, and 
are surrounded with all the elements and pow- 
ers necessary to their certain and speedy res- 
urrection. I say speedy, for we are implanted 
just as the acorn was, and our death or burst- 
ing forth into a new and excellent element 
is at hand. The air that we breathe is the 
element (not the grave, as some persist) in 
which we are implanted for regeneration by 
Almighty God and His angels ; and this at- 
mosphere, in which we are all embedded, com- 
tined with the germ of life within us and the 
16 



234 A PhilosopJiy of Heaven^ 

light and spirit of heaven "above, will as cer- 
tainly resurrect us and bring us into angelic 
life as the soil, &c., vegetated the acorn and 
brought the oak into the air and light of earth. 
Man has life more visible than the acorn, 
and the amosphere has properties equal to the 
soil, and heaven's powers are far superior to 
those of earth. The acorn, after a time im- 
bedded in the soil, swells, then bursts and de- 
cays. So with man's existence in this atmos- 
phere : he is first an infant, then a man, and is 
finally bursted by death, and then springs into 
the angelic life of heaven. Our bodies rot and 
decay just as the acorn or other substances or 
seeds planted in the earth, because of no fur- 
ther use to the soul in heaven than the acorn 
is to the tree.. Heaven will furnish us bodies^ 
compared to which these we now enjoy are as 
corruption, filth, weakness, and poverty; and 
our works here on earth are just the same to 
our future welfare as the roots and good soil 
are to the oak — let them be good and thrifty, 
or weak and poor. The soil in which the acorn 
is implanted is shallow and easily affected by 



Earth, and the Millennium, 235 



the seasons of earth ; so is also the atmosphere 
in which we are implanted likewise shallow, 
comparatively speaking. The seasons of earth 
hring forth the acorn to a newness of life ; so 
the powers of heaven, such as light, the Spirit 
of God, and vivifying properties of heaven, be- 
ing in immediate contact with our bodies and 
immortal souls, will as certainlj^ resurrect us 
into the newness of angelic life. We see and 
know that we are in contact with these powers 
of heaven and that we have our life from them, 
for no power on earth can for a moment give 
or sustain life ; yet because our mortal frames 
die and rot as the acorn, we seem to doubt. 
Did not the offspring of the acorn, the mighty 
oak, quit the soil in which it was imbedded, 
and that caused it to sprout, and then wave its 
towering branches in a purer element? So 
also will man's new birth be a resurrection in 
an element as far excelling the atmosphere of 
earth as the atmosphere excels the filthy soil 
of earth. Man is far superior to the acorn or 
vegetable life ; and because he branches forth 
to a purer and more noble and exalted exist- 



236 A Philosoijfty of Heaven, 

ence than is found in the strife and turmoil of 
earth, and becomes to us invisible, is not by 
any means a proof that he is spiritually dead. 
The worms of the dirt change their forms 
and j)laces of existence. It would seem quite 
impossible, if we did not know the fact from 
observation, that they should quit the slime of 
the soil and come out and enjoy the atmos- 
phere as winged insects, flying from object to 
object. Xow. if God is so merciful and conde- 
scending as to notice and j^i'ovide for the en- 
joyment of these creatures of the slime and 
dirt, why should mankind despair or doubt ? 
These creatures of the slime can neither praise 
nor worship Him, yet He cares enough for them 
to give them a higher existence, and thus at 
the same time teach man that His providence 
and benevolence extend not only to him, but 
to all the creatures of the earth, however in- 
significant. God does not govern the world 
through caprice, but by uniform and impartial 
laws ; hence every creature possessing His 
spirit of life must be resurrected to the enjoy- 
ment of heaven. Heaven has room and appro- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 237 

priate enjoyments for all that ever was, is, or 
shall be ; so all must prepare, both small and 
great, for the resurrection and newness of life. 
This earth is but the temporary abode of man 
and other living creatures, made or adopted 
on design for two purposes : first, for instruc- 
tion and repentance to God ; and secondly, for 
regeneration into heaven. It has the neces- 
sary commotions, changes and strife to effect 
both, and death and the resurrection are laws 
of nature and must transpire : the one is just 
as certain as the other — one results from the 
other. 

It seems, however, with some skeptics an 
impossibility for man to enjoy life only in one 
element — that is, the air — or in any body ex- 
cept a corporeal one ; but if we will examine 
the nature of life, we find by our own senses 
that it exists in different elements. Here on 
the surface of the earth is man, the animals, 
and winged tribes, enjoying life in the air. In 
the water of the seas and rivers we find whales, 
fishes, lobsters, and even the little corals, en- 
joying life. The l^fe they enjoy is in a differ- 



238 A Philosophy/ of Hearken, 

ent element, and is to us a mystery. In the 
dirt and slime of earth we find the worms and 
insects enjoying life ; and to add still further 
evidence, when the earth is penetrated we find 
occasionally frogs (live frogs) imbedded in 
solid rock far beneath the surface of the earth, 
and in 230sitions where they must have re- 
mained for centuries. These frogs are not 
dead, but have been secluded from the strife 
of earth and the regenerating properties of 
heaven ; for when brought in contact with 
these they assume or exhibit visible life. Nei- 
ther death nor the resurrection would have 
any effect on these entombed frogs ; but God, 
in due time, by the vicissitudes of earth, will 
finally disinter and resurrect them. These 
facts prove beyond a doubt that life does ex- 
ist, and can exist, in any element of earth, and 
that it does and can exist in heaven. There 
are angels or children of light, as well as men 
and animals of the air, fishes and corals of the 
sea and water, and worms and insects of the 
dust and soil. One life is just as possible with 
God as another, and reason forbids that we 



Earthy and the Millennium. 239 

should assume that God made the starry 
heavens and firmament, and all the host of 
them, for no purpose except for the poor mor- 
tals of earth to look and wonder at. 

But says one, why do we not see God and 
His angels ? The answer is, we are not yet the 
children of light. We are of earth, and our 
carnal nature is earthly, and we are spiritually 
blind. We know that like begets like, and 
that everything yields and brings forth after 
its kind. Hence the inhabitants and things of 
earth have those properties and character en- 
grafted on them ; they have a corporeal na- 
ture, as air, water, soil, flesh, trees, grass, &c. 
But the light of heaven is of quite a difi*erent 
nature from that of earth. It is seen, but is 
seen mysteriously. We might say or conclude 
that, because we cannot comprehend its na- 
ture, it cannot be seen. We know it exists 
because w^e do see it. Now the products of 
light are of the same purity and nature as 
light itself, just as the products of earth par- 
take of its nature. Hence, as we do not un- 
derstand the nature of light, we cannot see or 



240 A PhilosopJiy of ITeaverc^ 

comprehend tlie nature of angelic life. It is 
spiritual and substantial, and far more potent 
and glorious than any of earth ; and the me- 
chanism of the starry heavens is the abode of 
God and His angels of light. 

Carnal life is weak and fleeting, spiritual 
life is powerful and eternal. We behold the 
heavens with our natural eyes, and see a 
wonderful and sublime creation far superior 
to earth or anything conceivable by man. It 
is alone conclusive proof that there is a high 
state of existence beyond earth and the grave. 
The vast architecture of heaven is not a myth 
or delusion placed before our eyes, but a cer- 
tain reality, and is truth. 

Our learned men have demonstrated to a 
certainty that many of the stars and planets 
of heaven are many times larger than our 
earth; that the sun which gives us light is 
several hundred thousand times larger than 
our globe; that some of the fixed stars are 
many trillions of miles from us. The plane- 
tary systems of heaven are perfect, and are 
working in the most admirable harmony ; they 



Earth, and tJie Millennium, 241 

are governed by laws that know no change. 
Owing to the great distance these heavenly 
bodies are placed from us, we could not see 
the workings and existence of their inhabit- 
ants even if they were corporeal as we. This 
great distance is seemingly an obstacle not 
easily overcome ; but spiritual beings can 
conquer distance as fast as the human mind 
can conceive, and as quick as thought can 
penetrate. If, while in our degraded or infan- 
tile state, we could see these beings, we could 
not comprehend their nature. No reasonable 
mind can doubt the existence of God and the 
celestial spheres which God called " heaven,'^ 
nor can we doubt the existence of angels. The 
spiritual body is quite different to this mortal 
one, though in form and shape like it. It is 
not a phantom or myth, but a sublime and 
powerful existence, of the true nature of which 
we are still ignorant, and must exercise pa- 
tience till all future things are unvailed and 
the mysteries of heaven revealed in the resur- 
rection. Time and the resurrection will cer- 
tainly develop in us a glorious and powerful 



242 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

existence as our works deserve. St. John in 
Revelations represents four angels standing 
on the four corners of the earth, and holding 
the four winds ; another as having the seal of 
the living God; that he saw ''a mighty angel 
come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud ; 
a.nd a rainbow was upon his head, and his face 
was as it were the sun, and his feets as pillars 
of fire : and he had in his hand a little book 
open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, 
and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a 
loud voice, as when a lion roareth," &c. Again 
he represents angels as pouring vials of wrath 
upon the earth and sun ; another as illuminat- 
ing the earth with his glory. He represents 
another as coming down from heaven with the 
key of the bottomless pit, and having power 
to lay hold of the dragon, &c. From these we 
are to infer that angelic life will not be defi- 
cient in glory and power. Reason teaches, 
aside from revelation, that it will be glorious 
and powerful. From the foregoing scriptural 
quotations we are forced to admit that there 
are difi'erent grades of existence and power in 



Earthy and the Millennium, 243 

heaven, for St. John speaks of "angels," and 
also of ''powerful angels." These differences 
are taught in the Scriptures, and are sanc- 
tioned by reason and justice, and may there- 
fore be considered as truths. 

Man's spiritual life now existing in him is 
immortal, and the direct gift of heaven, and 
cannot die. It will leave this terrestrial body, 
.and should do so, because the earth and the 
creatures thereof are corrupt, and is not the 
eternal home of any. Death, though regarded 
as a terror and disaster, and dreaded as such, 
is an everlasting triumph of the soul. Truih, 
by it, prevails over error, good over evil, and 
the spirit over the flesh. By this triumph 
error is subdued, so also is desire, pain, sick- 
ness, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sorrow, tears, and 
death, all done away and banished forever ; 
while love, joy, peace, good-will, and the glory 
of heaven, abound in their stead. ''Death," 
says St. Paul, " will be swallowed up in vic- 
tory." 

The fact that man possesses an innate know- 
ledge of again meeting his friends and rela- 



244 A PMlosopJiy of ITeaven, 

tives beyond the grave is proof of the resur- 
rection. Man has an anxiety to meet them 
again, and is constantly on the alert for a 
sight of them. This feeling and consciousness 
is not of earth, bnt is the gift of heaven, and a 
warning to the soul within to prepare for our 
departure. It is from heaven, and this con- 
sciousness and warning is truth. Error is of 
earth, and prompts men to think otherwise ; 
but God has not only set the truth before our 
eyes, but He has implanted it in our souls. 
So when we discover the truth that heaven 
exists, and also feel the truth that we must 
depart from earth and meet our God and re- 
deemed friends, we should act accordingly. 

The birds of the air seem desirous of in- 
structing man that there is a higher enjoyment 
above. They sail through the air with great 
rapidity and ease, as if to show man that he 
was not in his true home, as if heaven was 
above and at his command. Man sees that 
they can fly through the air, and finds also 
that they are adapted so as to be able to do 
so, and there contents himself to stop. But 



Earth, and the Millenniitm. 245 



go a little farther, if you please. Who so made 
them ? who enabled them to accomplish such 
feats ? Of course, the power that can call into 
being all the visible w^orks of the created heav- 
ens and earth is omnipotent, and can and will 
resurrect and give life in heaven. 

God teaches life and the resurrection in va- 
rious ways. The indestructibility of the soul 
is also proved by dreaming. In a state of sleep 
the pow^ers of animal life are in some measure 
suspended ; they become overpowered by fa- 
tigue and exertion, and seek repose, and the 
animal powers become more or less uncon- 
scious. During this repose the soul or spirit 
of the sleeper is not so wearied and fatigued, 
not being subject to such infirmities, but steals 
off from the body, as it were, and often tra- 
verses and roams through an immense amount 
of time and space. It probably will, if not an- 
noyed by the suffering of the flesh or sleeping- 
body, visit scenes and countries thousands of 
miles away, and even cross oceans. Some of 
these dreams are of a pleasant nature, depend- 
ing on the comfort of the \)odij and health of 



246 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

the sleeper. When tlie body is free from pain, 
suffering, and want, onr dreams are of the 
most pleasing description ; if the body is in 
pain, surfeit, want, &c., our dreams are un- 
pleasant and often frightful, so close are the 
mind and body interwoven with each other. 
The soul and body being thus closely blended, 
the tortures of the bodj^ trouble and vex the 
soul, and it is never entirely freed from these 
until death relieves it. When the body is en- 
tirely free from pain, want, and suffering, and 
subjected to quiet sleep, then our dreams be- 
come highly pleasant; our spirits will often 
recur to scenes of childhood, and visit moun- 
tain tops and view^ the most beautiful and 
sublime scenery : this scenery sometimes be- 
comes holy and enchanting, and this when the 
mind is not yet free, but subject to the ills of 
the flesh. I^ow, if the soul is once freed from 
this evil, suffering body, and endowed Avith 
one that is not subject to the infirmities of the 
flesh, what must be the enjoyment of that 
soul ! It certainly would surpass any of this 
earth, and would convey an approximate idea 



Earthy and the Millennium, 247 

of the beatific enjoyment and happiness of 
heaven. 

Our bodies, as all know, are mortal and sub- 
ject to death; they are not of a heavenly na- 
ture, and die because offensive to heaven and 
unpleasing in the sight of God and His angels. 
The spirit is of God, and must return. God in 
His mercy and wisdom has provided for a 
return to Him of all the inhabitants of this 
earth, both rational and irrational, that pos- 
sess His Spirit, whether they be creatures of 
the air, water, or soil. Some small creatures 
are, no doubt, first enlarged into a higher ex- 
istence on earth, imperceptibly to man. It is 
absurd and selfish in man to deny the resur- 
rection of the smaller and irrational beings of 
earth. They are existing by God's help and 
Spirit, and are subject to want, pain, hunger, 
and death, just as man ; and the same omnip- 
otent and benevolent God that created them 
will as certainly resurrect them also to a high- 
er existence. Heaven is not a limited space 
for the sanctimonious few, but embraces God's 
creation, and has ample room and appropriate 



248 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

enjojanents for all, however debased or insig- 
nificant, or however excellent and exalted. 
Then, why deny the resurrection and resplen- 
dent glory of heaven to any, whether rational 
as man, or irrational as the beasts, birds, fish- 
es, &c. ? They are all the creatures of God, 
and exist by His will, and are subject to the 
same laws that must resurrect all. Time and 
the force of these laws will soon waft the whole 
into the bliss of eternity. God has taught us 
by nature that He can give life in the air, life 
in the water, and life in the dust of earth. He 
has taught us that this life can spring from 
one element to another. He exhibits to us the 
mechanism and sublimity of heaven in an ele- 
ment the most pure, serene, and powerful of 
all — the light of heaven. He has taught us 
the immediate connection existing between 
heaven and earth by means of this light and 
the spirit which He has given us. He has 
shown us that He has provided for all both in 
earth and heaven, and why doubt our redemp- 
tion and resurrection? It is but to doubt our 
own senses. Why do we hope for that which 



Earthy and the Millennium. 249 

we see ? Heaven and eternal life is in sight, 
and our redemption and resurrection at hand. 
St. James tells us that '' the Judge standeth 
before the door." St. John tells us that ''His 
reward is with Him, to give to every man ac- 
cording as his works shall be." He says fur- 
ther, ''And I heard a voice from heaven saying 
unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which 
die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith 
the Spirit, that they may rest from their la- 
bors; and their works do follow them." From 
these Scriptures, and the philosophy already 
advanced, there is to be no slumbering in the 
grave, as many suppose. The spirit of man 
never enters that dismal abode, but when it 
passes the door of death it instantly wings its 
eternal flight to Grod. As the things of earth 
disappear and fade away in the hour of death, 
so the sublimity and glory of heaven come in 
view. As we take leave of our friends on earth 
we must be ready to salute our redeemed 
friends and the angels in heaven. Death but 
calls us from one to the other : it is the sum- 
mons to change positions and friends. While 
17 



250 A PliilosopTiy of Heaven^ 

we leave a few friends to mourn our loss on 
earth, how innumerably more stand ready to 
rejoice because of our redemption in heaven I 
Those behind must follow, and thus the entire 
heavens be enlivened with the whole of God's 
creatures. 

As to the nature of heaven, we have some 
light both by observation and by revelation ; 
and, in this instance, observation and reason 
are quite consonant with the teachings of the 
Bible. The Bible teaches that there is a dif- 
ference in the future existence and enjoyment 
of man; reason and justice teach that there 
should be. The heavenly bodies show that 
they are of different grades or sizes, and are 
differently illuminated, and in all probability 
adapted to the comfort and enjoyment of all 
classes, persuasions, and conditions of life, as 
their merits deserve. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. xv., 
gives a true picture of the resurrection and its 
nature ; he says, ^* There are also celestial bo- 
dies, and bodies terrestrial : but the glory of 
the celestial is one, and the glory of the terres- 
trial is another. There is one glory of the sun 



» 



Earthy and the Millennium. 251 

and another glory of the moon, and another 
glory of the stars : for one star differeth from 
another star in glory. So also is the resurrec- 
tion of the dead. It is sown in corruption ; it 
is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dis- 
honor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in 
weakness ; it is raised in power. It is sown a 
natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. 
^ % >k jsfow this I say, brethren, that flesh 
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.'' 
So says St. Paul, and his statements are to be 
implicitly relied on, for he has reason and 
truth on his side. Besides, he gives us to un- 
derstand that he was caught up into the third 
heaven, and saw things not lawful for a man 
to utter. (See 2 Cor. xii.) Without doubt, 
St. Paul's spiritual sight was opened when he 
was so miraculously converted ; as also other 
of the apostles : and when they testified of 
these facts, and yielded up their lives as mar- 
tyrs to the truth of their assertions, mankind 
should not be skeptical, more especially when 
corroborated by reason and observation. 
It seems from this that heaven is classed 



252 A PTiilosopl'iy of Heaven 

into three different grades at least : and how 
many different enjoyments may be assigned 
to each is to us not now important, as we may 
conlidently rely that the most impartial justice 
will be done us, and each rewarded, and am- 
ply rewarded, according as his work shall be. 
"We see for ourselyes, howeyer, that a differ- 
ence exists in the sidereal heayens, and St. 
Paul informs us that this difference will exist 
in the resurrection. Without the least doubt 
heayen has many grades, varieties, and differ- 
ences, as earth itself, with the exception of sin, 
evil, death, &c. We may also conclude that 
it has select portions, where Christ and his 
angels will enjoy themselves. This portion is 
attained only by the straight and narrow way, 
the ''golden rule," and the great bulk of man- 
kind will be excluded from its enjoyment be- 
cause they have fallen short of its require- 
ments, and from the highest grade enjoyed by 
the elect. We shall probably find that the 
grades recede from one to another in such or- 
der as to reward each and every one as their 
works deserve ; but, as heaven is pure and 



Earthy and the Millennium. 253 

good and free from death, all will be benefited 
by the change, though they suffer what the 
Bible terms '^ damnation," ''damnation the 
greater," ''hell," "hell-fire," " fiery furnace," 
and "the lake that burneth with fire and brim- 
stone." These are mere figures of speech, and 
were simply intended to convey the idea that 
man must be rewarded according to his works. 
"Damnation" only represents the falling short 
of the glory of God. "Hell," "hell-fire," &c., 
represent the loss of the better estates and 
ranks which in God'^ providence were design- 
ed for the subject. St. John was a preacher of 
this doctrine, probably more so than any other 
biblical writer, and, before he dismisses this 
subject of punishment, he informs us where it 
is to be inflicted. In Revelations, chapter 14, 
in speaking of those that worshipped the 
beast, he says, " The same shall drink of the 
wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out 
without mixture into the cup of His indigna- 
tion, and he shall be tormented with fire and 
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, 
and in the presence of the Lamb." Here we 



254 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

have the place before the throne of God, in the 
presence of the angels and the Lamb. So also 
with the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, 
taught by our Saviour. The rich man was 
punished in sight of heaven. The words '*afar 
off" mean that Abraham and Lazarus had at- 
tained a rank far more excellent than his, and 
the ''impassable gulf " signifies the impossi- 
bility of changing conditions in heaven ; his 
''torment" was the shame and degradation to 
which he was justly subjected, or, in truth, to 
which he had subjected himself; the "smoke" 
represents shame, and "fire," &c., tlie attend- 
ant loss and degradation, which was apparent 
by the splendor of heaven : splendor is repre- 
sented by "fire" in the Scriptures. 

This is the most rational view, and is entire- 
ly consistent with the Bible AW must be res- 
urrected , and enjoy the same heaven, and re- 
ceive the same rewards, according to their 
works. Abraham and the rich man were with- 
in conversing distance. God is no tyrant, and 
has not the least enmity against the world, 
and it is the height of absurdity to suppose 



Earthy and the Millennium, 255 

that He would subject any mortal to tlie men- 
tal anguish and physical pain and misery of 
this earth, and annihilate his body by death, 
and then punish in hell-fire the only good and 
righteous portion left, that is, his immortal 
soul. Such is sheer folly, and is not to be be- 
lieved for a moment; but such language is 
and may be used to denote the loss or shame 
and degradation to which the wicked subject 
themselves by disobedience to God's holy law, 
for it is a quite convenient way of expressing 
it. The testing of works by fire, and casting 
into fire, &c., is typical of subjecting the soul 
to the powerful "^ splendor of heavenly light. 
This light will penetrate our very souls and 
existence, and shine within them so as to dis- 
close every deed and thought, whether it be 
good or evil. The wicked will dread to have 
their acts tested by it ; hence the wailing and 
gnashing of teeth, the everlasting torment, &c., 
for it would be futile to seek darkness in 
heaven. I think, however, that I have satis- 
factorily proved in the chapter on ''Earth" (to 
which the reader is referred), that fire is an 



256 A FhilosopTiy of Heaven^ 

element of strife, and does not exist outside of 
our atmosphere, and it is improbable that such 
compound as the air we breathe exists any- 
where else ; if so, all the evils of earth exist 
elsewhere, which is not probable, as Moses 
says all was good at the bginning ; and is yet 
so without doubt, except this earth. 

In the expansive heavens there is a Paradise 
spoken of by our Saviour while on the cross, 
and it would seem to be the first place we will 
enter after death. Here, very likely, each one 
will be nurtured and schooled in the mysteries 
of heaven before appearing with full angelic 
vigor and privileges. Doubtless we may im- 
prove our spiritual knowledge and strength 
here in life by religious and moral culture, 
and, of course, our future estate and happi- 
ness depend upon it ; but it is scarcely possi- 
ble that mankind will enter heaven fully de- 
veloped as they will be in the course of time. 
They may improve the state or rank to which 
they are admitted while on earth, but cannot 
so improve as to change entirely from one 
rank to another after the resurrection, for 



Earth, and the Millennium. 



257 



this would annul the judgment of God and of 
heaven. 

Before entering heaven, man and all other 
beings are first deprived, by death, of all de- 
sire and power to do evil or harm. Death has 
slain hunger, thirst, pain, desire, misery, and 
death. Tears and sorrow are all wiped away, 
and life and happiness reign forever. We car- 
ry none of our infirmities there ; only the spir- 
itual part can be admitted. There is no guile 
or deceit there. "By their fruits shall ye know 
them." Our works follow us so completely 
that the least there can accurately judge us. 
Our acts and conduct in life are as visibly 
stamped on us as the founder casts his impres- 
sions on his wares ; and are not only so visibly 
stamped, but they are stamped with the cer- 
tainty that like begets like, and that every- 
thing yields or brings forth after its kind. 
Our thoughts are also comprehended, and no 
deception is there. Our works are incorpo- 
rated into and form our heavenly existence. 
"A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.'^ 
As our works are so shall our existence in 



258 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

heaven be, whether to our glory or shame, to 
our honor or dishonor. 

Man's conduct on earth effectually controls 
the result of his judgment, and his judgment 
transpires on his entrance into heaven. The 
day of death is the day when both small and 
great are to be judged. Generation after gen- 
eration have been judged as death called them 
to the bar of God, and there is no slumbering 
in the grave for judgment. Death is the great 
day mentioned in the Bible, and life is the 
place where we are reserved for judgment. At 
this bar of the living God we must all appear. 
Here the righteous, with their works of love, 
humility, self-denial, and charity — those that 
have endured great tribulations for truth and 
holiness — those that have meekly and tenderly 
discharged their duty to the weak and suffer- 
ing poor, and those that have unostentatiously 
pursued the straight and narrow way of the 
golden rule, — will hear the welcome plaudit, 
" Well done, good and faithful servants," and 
be welcomed to the most excellent and select 
portion of heaven. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 259 

Then comes the moral man, who has been 
cautious and circumspect in his deportment 
while on earth, but, as he has neglected some 
charities and other christian duties imposed 
upon him by the golden rule, he is of neces- 
sity and right assigned a position and rank 
inferior to those who have strictly obeyed the 
commands ; hence his rank in heaven will not 
be of the elect order of Christ and his angels. 

Next comes the idolater with his confessions 
of error, which are now glaringly manifest ; 
but as his offence is mainly attributed to igno- 
rance and false teachings, and therefore of a 
pardonable nature, he is forgiven, and an es- 
tate bestowed on him far more worthy than he 
anticipated. 

Now comes a group of virgins, arrayed for 
the great wedding feast : they have lamps, but 
only a part of them have their lamps well 
filled with the oil of charity ; these latter have 
ministered to the sick and poor, fed the hun- 
gry, clothed the naked^ had mercy on the or- 
phan and poor, entertained the stranger, and 
therefore receive a joyful welcome, and ad- 



A- 



260 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

vance to tlie exalted position occupied by the 
Redeemer and Ms elect angels. Not so with 
the other virgins who have no oil in their ves- 
sels. They had been neglectful of christian 
duties on earth ; they had failed to entertain 
the stranger, visit the sick, relieve the poor, 
feed the hungry, or clothe the naked. While 
their poor neighbors were suffering for the 
plainest food and clothing, they were gorman- 
dizing the most sumptuous dainties, and gad- 
ding about in the most fantastical, costly and 
useless apparel. While the orphan and the 
sick required their help and attention, they 
were reading trashy literature and novels, and 
frisking about ball-rooms and flirting in wine 
parties. Instead of adorning true womanhood, 
they have disgraced it, and now appear as a 
^roup of simpletons. Heaven almost cringes, 
"tefr-the Judge shall condemn them for want of 
common sense. He, however, quickly sees the 
situation, and sends these foolish virgins out 
where they can amuse themselves in hopping 
and fluttering about along with the grasshop- 
pers and June bugs. 



Earthy and the Millenniuvi, 261 

Next conies tlie hypocrite, with his decep- 
tion all emblazoned on him indelibly as the 
mark of Cain. He, no doubt, would gladly 
avoid the judgment-bar, but is arraigned, and 
must be judged. He is scarcely worth judg- 
ing, but, as his shame and disgrace are so 
visible and contemptible, he is immediately 
ordered off to some remote part of the king- 
dom where he will not further oflTend the saints 
by his presence. This is the identical place 
he desired, and he takes his departure prais- 
ing God for the first time for His mercy and 
good judgment. 

Now come the false teachers : they advance 
with confident step and claim the inheritance 
of the elect. The Judge refuses to recognize 
them as his, and orders them to depart. Not 
so, however, with hem ; they wish to reason 
the case God must be wrong and they right. 
They ask, " Lord, Lord, have we not prophe- 
sied in thy name ? (certainly prophesied that 
no one could enter the kingdom of heaven ex- 
cept by confessing their creeds and performing 
their ceremonies) and in thy name have cast 



263 A PJdlosojjJiy of Heaven^ 

out devils? (j^es, cast out '^poor devils" from 
their lands, houses, and churches, because 
they were unable to pay the rents or charges) 
and in thy name done many wonderful works?'' 
(such, for instance, as exalting themselves in 
the eyes of the ignorant, attiring themselves 
pompously, and faring sumptuously and some- 
times gluttonously, while the poor disciples 
and their neighbors had neither comfortable 
shelter, food, or raiment ; and taught senseless 
creeds and meaningless ceremonies rather 
than Qod^s Gospel of truth, love, and mercy.) 
Is it to be wondered that they shall fail to re- 
ceive the elect's portion ? So they receive the 
command, "Depart from me, ye that work in- 
iquity/' 

Now come a multitude of all manner of sin- 
ners, consisting of liars, drunkards, usurers, 
extortioners, oppressors of the poor, adulter- 
ers, robbers, thieves, and murderers. They 
all appear before the throne, and each receives 
his reward as his works deserve. They are 
more sensible than some preachers supposed 
them to be ; for on investigation it is found 



Earthy and the Millennium, 263 

that they have compounded with each other, 
and so completely forgiven each other's trans- 
gressions on earth, that the Judge is disposed 
to be quite lenient with most of them. So he 
degrades none so very low, only the abomina- 
ble murderers and promoters of war and strife ; 
he marks them with the blackness of dark- 
ness, and sends them along with the ravenous 
beasts. The wicked are cut off in their ways, 
and stand here without their occupations. 
Money making, usury, extortion, gluttony, op- 
pression of the poor and weak, and all other 
vices, find no place in heaven. 

Thus all humanity must appear and receive 
judgment as their works shall deserve. The 
judgment is lenient and the rewards pleasant 
to each and all. No dissatisfaction will exist, 
and all will feel satisfied with the result ; hence 
the heavens will echo with shouts of joy and 
songs of praise to Almighty God for His be- 
neficence and mercy. There can be but little 
doubt that mankind and the creatures of earth 
will be utterly astonished at the exalted and 
glorious condition of heaven, and with the mu- 



264 A Philosophy of Heaven. 

nificent provision a benev^olent God has pro- 
vided for them. But, as it is written, ''Eye 
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have en- 
tered into the heart of man, the things which 
Ood hath prepared for them that love him." 
Here every work will meet its own reward, 
and every taste and condition be satisfied. 
Our rank and power will be apportioned to 
our several wants. Some will appear degrad- 
ed, and this by their own conduct, not by their 
Creator, and others will appear exalted. To 
whom much was given much was required ; to 
whom little was given little was required. The 
measure of each one's capacity will be full ; 
while the capacity of some is abundant, those 
of others will be meagre. The places of enjoy- 
ment of all will be just such as they would 
naturally have chosen if left free to choose for 
themselves, though it may be the least desira- 
ble. Hence the universal peace, harmony and 
good-will of heaven ; hence the love, and mer- 
cy, and happiness, of the saints in glory. 

These things are not vain phantoms or idle 
dreams, but stern, real truths — just as certain 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 265 

as the light of earth proceeds from the sun, 
moon and stars — just as certain as the heav- 
ens exist— just as certain and sure as we live, 
move, and have our being on earth — just as 
certain will the God of the Universe, by certain 
unerring laws of nature, resurrect all His living 
creatures to a high, glorious and eternal life in 
heaven, where all will be rewarded as their 
works shall be. Revelation teaches the resur- 
rection ; nature teaches it through all of her 
works; man's holy spirit teaches and admon- 
ishes him of the fact, and our eyes behold our 
future home spread out in the heavens, and 
why deny our own senses? We had quite as 
well deny our own existence. So sure as our 
mortal bodies die, just so sure will our immor- 
tal souls be resurrected in heaven. They take 
immediate flight to heaven on the death of our 
carnal bodies, never to return to the strife and 
«in of the world. 

After his friends are departed and their re- 
mains consigned to the tomb, man watches 
intuitively for their return, if but to catch a 
glimpse of the departed. He is conscious of a 
18 



266 A PhilosopJit/ of Heaven, 

reunion with his friends. But as time ad- 
vances he sees no visible trace of his friend or 
relative, who may have been to him the most 
dear on earth. He has watched in every pos- 
sible place where any trace of that friend 
might be found ; he has visited the graveyard 
and the silent tomb ; he has looked in the se- 
cret chambers and the lonely places of earthy 
but finds not the lest vestige of his departed 
friend. In his reflections and disappointments 
he too often loses hope ; despair seizes his 
mind ; his soul grows weary, and he yields to 
despondency and gloom, and often to lamenta- 
tion and weeping. His search has been in 
vain because it has been amiss — he has not 
yet looked heavenward. Instead of searching 
the graveyards, tombs, secret chambers, and 
lonely places of earth, he should have cast his 
thoughts heavenward, and pursued his inqui- 
ries there. There he .might have beheld the 
starry heavens all testifying, in a matter ad- 
mitting of no guile, that God and his friends 
are there ; they testify that He is able to save, 
and that there is room for all ; they testify 



Earthy and the Millennmm. 267 

that lieaven is adapted to all classes and con- 
ditions, and so pure that angels might worship 
in their snowy white garments through all 
eternity without soiling them in the least. 
Why not look there for our departed friends ? 
God has power to give them life there as well 
as on earth. He has given life to man and 
animals on the land, to the fishes and corals 
in the sea, to the fowls of the air, to the worms 
and insects of the dust, to the trees of the for- 
est and flowers of the field. He has given life 
in innumerable ways — earth teems with life in 
nearly every conceivable manner. He has given 
life in flesh and blood — He has given another 
life in vegetation — He has given another life 
to the corals of the sea, and another to the 
worms of the dust and the insects of the air; 
and why doubt that He will give life to His 
creatures in heaven, the most sublime part of 
His creation? The earth, air, and water, are 
abounding in life — life of every nature^ and of 
every form imaginable — and why should God 
give life and protection to the little creatures 
of earth and the corals of the sea, and deny it 



268 A PhilosopTiy of Heaven^ 

to man, the most exalted of all His creatures 
of earth? The idea is absurd. With us the 
resurrection is a matter not remote. 

Heaven also teems with angelic life. The 
powers of heaven are attracting and pleasing- 
ly inviting us there ; the elements of earth are 
Tbuffeting us, and bid us go ; and time will 
soon waft us all into the resurrection of heaven, 
where all will enjoy the reward suited to their 
works. This change is not distant. "With 
many of us the day is far spent, and the night 
Cometh when no man can work. While it is 
yet light it behooves us all so to work that 
our estate in the resurrection may be ample, 
and our inheritance one of everlasting joy and 
peace. 



Earthy and the Millennium, 269 

CHAPTER VL 

THE MILLENNIUM. 

ITS OCCURRENCE — ITS COURSE — STRIFE OF EARTH TO BE FIRST SUB- 
DUED — THE WAY PREPARED BY A CELESTIAL. BODY — BINDING 
OF SATAN — PEACE OF EARTH — SECOND ADVENT — THE GOSPEL 
TRUTH AGAIN PREACHED — PASSAGE OF THE CELESTIAL VISIT- 
ANT AND DISAPPEARANCE OF CHRIST AND HIS ANGELS— SATAN 
UNBOUND — THE WORLD AFTERWARDS — FORMER MILLENNIUMS 
— BIBLE PROOFS — MYSTERIES OF HEAVEN REVEALED — TIME OF 
IT UNKNOWN— ALL PROPHECY FALSE AS TO THE TIME. 

Much has been written on this subject, and 
it has attracted the attention of mankind at 
various times. Many have been the prophecies 
that have proven false, and many, perhaps, will 
be made in the future which time will prove 
equally false. That there will occur a great 
millennial sabbath at some future period, dur- 
ing which Christ and his angels will visit this 
earth in glory and power, is plainly announced 
in Revelations and also positively affirmed by 
Christ himself. When we consider that this 
event may be brought about, or the way pre- 
pared, in the ordinary administration of God's 
immutable laws, without the intervention of 
any partiality or miraculous visitation of God, 



270 A PJiilosopliy of Heaxen^ 

then we have no right to dispute the word of 
Christ or the teachings of Revelation. 

This event will occur, not as a miracle, or 
by the partial favor of God, but \>j a fixed 
principle of the laws of nature, established at 
the creation of the heavens and earth ; and it 
may be truthfully affirmed that millennial pe- 
riods have formerly occurred, and will again 
and again occur, in the lengths of eternity, by 
the same laws of nature. How it may occur, 
the cause of its occurrence, and the effects pro- 
duced by it, together with some remarks as to 
its time and duration, we will now proceed to 
examine. 

In order to make an intelligent illustration, 
and view this subject rationally, we must ne- 
cessaril}^ review many of the positions hereto- 
fore assumed, without which the reader will 
fail to understand my views of the subject. 

The first of these positions was that the 
whole starry firmament, as exhibited to our 
natural eyesight, is heaven, and was so called 
by God himself in the first chapter of Genesis ; 
that this heaven is the abode of God and His 



Earthy and the Mtllennium. 271 

angels, and embraces an eternity of time, 
space, and mechanism, such as stars, suns and 
adamantine globes, which exist indefinitely 
above, around, and in all directions; that 
these are the mansions of God and the angels, 
and that the earth is an integral part of this 
mechanism of heaven, and has its oflB.ces to 
perform in like manner as the others. 

The second was that this earth is laboring 
under a curse for man's transgression, which 
is affirmed by the Bible, and is confirmed by 
observation, reason, and experience. The 
earth being accursed of God, its whole ele- 
ments — as air, water, fire, and earth — are in a 
state of constant strife, war, and turmoil ; and 
is unfit, by reason of the same, for the abode 
of God and His angels, or even a visit by them. 
This war and strife is carried into the system 
and nature of man, causing error, sin, misery, 
pain and death, and therefore rendering the 
earth distasteful to heavenly beings. The 
world and the flesh thereof are sinful and evil, 
and proved to be so; and therefore objection- 
able to pure and holy beings, who do not, and 



272 A FMlosojpliy of Heaven^ 

will not, visit this earth while such repulsive 
evils exist. 

The third was that all flesh and ol)jects of a 
terrestrial nature having life were the result 
of the changes of the elements of earth ; that 
the flesh and animal life of men, beasts, birds,, 
fishes, &c., result from these changes, which 
are all approximately caused by our atmos- 
phere ; that death also ensues from the same 
causes. Our carnal bodies are at enmity with 
God, and must die, because they are impure^ 
unholy, and not suitable for the eternal abode 
of man's holy spirit. The earth also being 
accursed, is likewise not fit for the permanent 
abode of man and the creatures of earth, much 
less God and His angels ; consequently, it is 
deserted by them, and has been for centuries. 
Hence this earth is governed by God and His 
angels by certain definite laws exerted from 
the throne of heaven, and these laws never 
change, but may be suspended, or seemingly 
suspended, by the exercise of other superior 
laws ; all, however, work in regular and har- 
monious order. The workings of nature are 



Earthy and the Millennium, 273 

thus diversified, and the heavens rendered in- 
teresting to the saints. 

The reader must also bear in mind that I 
not only acknowledge a communion of spirits 
between heaven and earth, but have stoutly 
contended that we owe our very existence and 
life to it. That the Spirit of God dwells in us 
all, giving us life and reason, and to that ex- 
tent we are divine ; but not so divine as Christ, 
for he possessed spiritual powers not enjoyed 
by us. We are also in direct communion with 
heaven by means of light, which is the most 
powerful element of heaven, and capable of 
supporting weighty and immense worlds. This 
light, because we cannot comprehend its pow- 
ers, is not noted as an element by our philoso- 
phers, on the same principle that a fish or 
worm would not note our atmosphere an ele- 
ment because they are ignorant of most of its 
properties. 

The strife of earth extends as far as our at- 
mosphere, which, it will be remembered, was 
stated to be from thirty-nine to forty-eight 
miles in height from the earth's surface. This 



274 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

strife exists in tlie sea and in the bowels of tlie 
earth, causing upheavals and eruptions by the 
action of lire, air, water, and combustible ma- 
terials. It exists in the air, causing heat, cold, 
rain, evaporation, perspiration, &c., which im- 
mediately cause thirst, hunger, pain, disease, 
decay, and death. 

This strife of the earth produces changes, 
from which result, first, animal and vegetable 
life ; then disease, decay, and death. This 
strife results from the influence of the sun and 
the heavenly bodies on the atmosphere of the 
earth. In other words, if our atmosphere had 
not existed and encircled the earth, there 
would have been no strife on earth — neither 
pain, misery, desire, disease, nor death. Its 
inhabitants would have been different and of 
a higher order of being. Consequently, it may 
be asserted that the storms and vicissitudes of 
our atmosphere cause all the ills and sins of 
earth. Where there is no strife, there is no 
decay, nor death ; and where there is strife, 
there is sin, disease, decay, and death. 

Grod forbade Adam to partake of the fruit 



Earthy and the Millennium. 275 

of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 
which is but a type of the sin and folly of 
earth ; so He also forbade His angels to visit 
it. Christ visited it ; but the penalty of death 
was attached, even to a dutiful and beloved 
son. Angels do not visit this earth in person 
or proper powers : they are not non-entities 
or shadows, but powerful beings, capable of 
producing tremendous results. Saint John 
speaks of ''angels" and ''mighty angels," and 
one of which he describes " chaining the drag- 
on"; another as " standing with one foot on 
the land and the other on the sea"; others as 
"standing on the four corners of the earth, and 
holding the four winds." Great power is as- 
cribed to all of them, and reason would teach 
that they are not phantoms, for the heavens 
and its powerful architecture are witnesses to 
the contrary. It cannot be claimed that this 
earth receives any of these visits, and it can- 
not rationally be accounted for, only by the 
fact that it is under the displeasure and curse 
of God. 
Earth, as before stated, is a place fitted for 



276 A Philosophy of Heaven, 

man's regeneration and atonement for offences 
committed against God. Mankind's primitive 
estate was heaven, v^liich is tlie true Eden of tlie 
Scripture, and for our transgressions there v^e 
are suffering God's displeasure on earth, and 
undergoing penance and regeneration. Earth 
is of a two-fold nature, first teaching repent- 
ance and obedience to God, and also causing 
regeneration and resurrection to life eternal in 
heaven. 

Sin and corruption only exist on this earth, 
and result from the curse of God. The strife 
results from the light of heaven making war 
on the sin and corruption of earth, as truth 
makes war upon error. This strife is daily, 
hourly, and each moment, caused by the light 
and sunbeams of heaven : they enter our at- 
mosphere, displace its particles, cause strife 
and friction, thus producing heat ; and heat 
and cold effect all the changes visible on earth. 
Our atmosphere becomes rarefied by heat, and 
when rarefied (being possessed of quite an 
elastic nature) is displaced by cooler and 
heavier air from its vicinity • this causes mo- 



Earth, and the Millennium, Til 

tion, called wind. When seemingly still, it 
absorbs perspiration from our bodies, acts on 
our lungs and intestines, causing thirst, pain, 
hunger, disease, decay, and finally death. It 
has by its power over the other elements of 
earth wrought all the changes we behold on 
earth. Aside from it, no filth, dirt, slime, or 
corruption, could have existed on the earth, 
but it would have been as neat and cleanly 
polished as a diamond, and so pure that an- 
gels might have inhabited it, and worshipped 
God through the eternal ages, without soiling 
their white garments in the least. 

This strife is the appioximate cause of all 
our ills and troubles. Bat why should it be 
so ordained that there will not even be a tem- 
porary cessation of the same, and peace reign 
on earth for a season ? Wh}^ not suspend this 
strife periodically, and substitute the peace, 
love, and good-will of heaven, till benighted 
man can see the truth of heaven? The an- 
cients profess to have witnessed these truths, 
and undoubtedly did, but which, of necessity, 
were recorded imperfectly and in figurative 



278 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

language. Why should not the world, in the 
future, enjoy this peace, and again hear the 
truth of God, and see some some of the mys- 
teries of heaven unfolded? 

This strife, sin, desire, pain, and death of 
earth must first be banished or suspended be- 
fore Christ or any of the saints of heaven visit 
it; and just so soon, and no sooner, may we 
look for the millennium, and the appearance 
or second advent of Christ and his angels, and 
their sojourn on earth will not be one moment 
longer than this peace reigns : they are chil- 
dren of peace and light, and visit no other 
places. This peace and light must first come, 
then Christ and the redeemed of earth. The 
way must be prepared for their advent on 
earth. 

Let us suppose some mighty power should 
say to the elements of earth, 'Teace, be still!" 
and that these warring elements should obey 
and assume a state of profound peace — what 
would be the results on earth ? The first and 
most notable effect would be the cleansing of 
the atmosphere ; all clouds, dust, vapors, and 



Earthy and the Millennium, 279 

impurities, would settle on the earth as quick- 
ly as they could fall by the force of gravita- 
tion ; evaporation and absorption would cease, 
and thus a clear, brilliant and serene state of 
the atmosphere would ensue, which would be- 
come doubly resplendent by the rays of vivid 
light pouring down from heaven. Heat and 
cold would be banished or disappear, because 
they result from strife of the elements. Per- 
spiration, absorption, and excretion, of the 
flesh and vegetation would cease ; conse- 
quently, hunger, thirst, pain, desire, decay, 
sin, and death, would be suspended or ban- 
ished, and, with them, all the evil passions 
known to men and beasts. There would not 
be the least desire for food, drink, raiment, or 
shelter : and no incentive to do wrong or oflFer 
violence on the part of any ; hence the lion and 
lamb, or the hyena and little child, or the fox 
and the fowl, all might live and room together 
in the same enclosure without fear or the least 
apprehension of violence or danger from each 
other. No want would be felt of anything of 
earth ; the animal passions and desires would 



280 A PMlosopliy of Heaven, 

all be banished or suspended, and sin over- 
come ; and hence Satan would be chained, as 
represented in the Scriptures. 

But it may be said that man and the carnal- 
ity of earth would in that event cease to live, 
and would sink to the earth as so many corp- 
ses. INTot so, however, by any means. Their 
animal desires and powers of eating, drinking, 
sleeping, and sense of cold and heat, would 
only be suspended by this serene, brilliant, 
and universal peace of earth, and not a parti- 
cle of their flesh or a hair of their heads or 
bodies injured: they would still exist and 
move by the force of their will, and by the 
spirit of life that God gave them. The animal 
power of the earth is thus subjected to the 
divine power of man and the animals, which 
emanates from heaven; the carnal is subject- 
ed to the spiritual. The wicked are cut off in 
their ways because desire has failed and want 
fled, and the world is thus triumphantly, for 
the time, redeemed and metamorphosed into 
a paradise or heaven. 

There is no longer any necessity for labor, 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 281 

occupations are cut short, and the world would 
be inquiring for truth instead of error and 
wrong ; hence, what a magnificent opportunity 
for a preacher to preach the Gospel ! All are 
ready and anxious to listen — the way is fully 
prepared — the throne of heaven is addressed — 
Christ and the saints of earth and heaven can 
suffer no violence here. So the opportunity is 
now propitious, the decree of heaven forbid- 
ding their visit is suspended during this peace, 
and they may be seen coming, as it were, in 
clouds of light from heaven, not in the frailty 
of the flesh, but in power and glory. 

St. John, in the 20tli chapter of Revelations, 
gives a description of the millennium and the 
reign of Christ and his saints on earth for a 
thousand years ; but the better hypothesis is 
that their reign will be co-extensive with the 
peace of earth, and not a moment longer, let 
that be a thousand years or a day, as the case 
may be. Christ also, in the 24th chapter of 
Matthew, gives a very clear statement of his 
second advent on earth ; and from this state- 
smen t as well as from reason we may conclude 
19 



2^2 A PMlosopliy of Heaven, 

very properly that Ms second advent on eartll 
is because of and the result of peace, and his 
coming not the cause of peace. In other words^ 
the serene peace of earth will prepare the w^y 
of Christ and his angels to visit this earth ; — 
this will be the first resurrection according to 
St. John, that is, the first appearance of the 
redeemed of earth to its portals. They do not 
rise from the grave, but descend in clouds 
with him from heaven. "Death hath no more 
dominion over them." 

Now, if' we can, it behooves us to search and 
ascertain what power, if any, can bring about 
this peace and secure these results. We can- 
not for a moment believe that God governs the 
heavens and the earth by caprice or personal 
attention, but by laws positive and certain ; 
and the power to establish this peace must be 
immense, and not any idle or capricious power 
exerted at leisure or random. It is more prob- 
able that it was ordained from the beginning, 
and must occur in the regular order of nature. 
Consequently, we must consult the movements 
of the heavenly bodies to learn and ascertain. 



I 



Earthy and tTie Millenniitm. 283 

tiiis power; for we all well know that there is 
no power on earth that can accomplish it. 

There is the best of reasons for asserting 
that the millennium will occur by the passage 
of a heavenly body — such as a star, sun. or 
comet, if you choose — in the regular course of 
its orbit, assigned it from the beginning of 
time, so near our earth as to overcome or coun- 
teract, for the time, the influence of the sun^ 
mooii and stars, and produce the results we 
have just described; that is, it will banish 
heat, cold, hunger, thirst, pain, desire, decay, 
and death. It must have, by its size or prox- 
imity to our earth, an overwhelming power — 
nullifying, during its passage, the attraction of 
the sun, moon and stars, and, for the time be- 
ing, shed the most transcendent light over the 
whole earth. The fire maniacs of the world 
will, no doubt, tremble with fear on the ap- 
proach of such a sublime visiter, and will ex- 
pect to be burned up and the earth melted 
with fervent heat. No such thing can trans- 
pire, for heaven is not composed of fire, but of 
Jight, life, peace, good-will ; and architecture, 



284 A PMlosopTiy of Heaven^ 

as planets, suns, moons, &c. Liglit, as before 
shown in chapter on Earth, possesses no heat ; 
neither do the rays of the sun ; if so, they 
would melt the snow and ice from the ice- 
capped mountains in the tropics. And the 
simple fact that such snow-capped mountains 
exist nearly under the equator teaches man- 
kind that neither the sun nor its rays possess 
heat, and that the cause of heat must be looked 
for from other sources than heaven. Light, as 
before stated, is a powerful element of heaven, 
and life is the same, and both emanate from 
the omnipotence of heaven. 

In our own time we have seen one of these 
visitors — though, perhaps, not large and pow- 
erful enough to accomplish such mighty re- 
sults as just described — traversing the heavens 
above us. This was the comet of 1858. Xo 
doubt it was performing its revolution around 
its proper centre in the course of nature as- 
signed it, and at a certain fixed time it will re- 
turn and traverse the identical space that it 
did in the summer of 1858. It must not be as- 
sumed that its passage was by chance, or left 



Earthy and the Millennium, 285 

to uncertainty : but the correct theory is that 
it was performing the mission of its Creator, 
and will do so through all eternity. Having 
no will or choice of its own, it can only obey 
that of its Creator. It may require that comet 
centuries or thousands of years to return, but 
it will as certainly return as time and the 
heavens endure. Other comets, more magnifi- 
cent than that, have appeared ; smaller comets 
also frequently appear ; some are quite small, 
and are very distant. Some, it is said, approach 
very near to the sun ; so, if they were vapors, 
or nebulous matter, they would be consumed 
by the heat of the sun if the sun possessed 
heat, as some suppose Their orbits are eccen- 
tric, which proves the theory, heretofore ad- 
vanced, that there are repulsive forces govern- 
ing the heavenly bodies, and therefore no col- 
lisions can occur among them. 

My views of the millenium, if chimerical, 
are derived from the Bible; and, when we 
consider the immutability of the laws of na- 
ture, and also the scriptural evidences, they 
must have at least some claims to credence. 



286 A Fhilosophy of Ileaveii, 

We will now briefly examine tlie scriptural 
evidences of the cause, nature, and results of 
the millennium. We will first examine the 
24th chapter of Matthew, which contains a de- 
scription of it, and make some remarks as to 
the time of its occurrence ; after which, we will 
examine St. John's description contained in 
several chapters of Revelations. 

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, 
the disciples came unto him privately, saying, 
Tell us, when shall these things be? And^what 
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end 
qf the world?-' (v. 3.) Christ, it must here be 
remembered, had informed his disciples that 
lie ^^as to be crucified, and would leave them 
a little while. '*And Jesus answered and said 
unto them. Take heed that no man deceive 
you. For many shall come in my name, say- 
ing, lam Christ; and shall deceive many." 
He then informed them that they should hear 
of wars and rumors of wars ; tlia t kingdoms 
and nations would rise against each other ; 
that there would be famines and earthquakes 
and also pestilences in divers places- ''but 



I 



Earthy and the Millennium, 287 

the end is not yet." He also said that false 
prophets should arise, and that this Gospel of 
the kingdom should be preached in all the 
world for a witness unto all nations. 

Now, from his remarks we would very natu- 
rally infer that a great lapse of time must oc- 
cur from his crucifixion and departure till his 
return or second advent to earth. The pre- 
ceding remarks have reference as to the time, 
from which it will be seen that no man can tell 
or know precisely. Now we will proceed and 
4examine his description of it. 

" When ye. therefore, shall see the abomin- 
ation of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the 
prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso read- 
^th, let him understand)" — this probably has 
reference to the 7th chapter of Daniel, and the 
^* casting down of thrones," and the sitting or 
reign of the '' Ancient of days" or Christ him- 
self ; and probably also the 12th chapter, and 
the " trouble," and resurrection of the saints 
unto '' everlasting life, and some to shame and 
everlasting contempt." Christ says, "For then 
shall be great tribulation, such as was not since 



288 A Pliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor 
ever shall be. And except those days should 
be shortened, there should no flesh be saved : 
but for the elect's sake those days shall be 
shortened." This language proves conclusive- 
ly that his description is not of the end of the 
world, but of his second advent ; for time and 
the world are to move on again for the elect's 
sake. 

It might be asked, in this connection, who 
the elect are for whom those days are short- 
ened, whether they are of earth or heaven, and 
what is meant by the flesh being saved. The 
rational view of these matters is this : — The 
elect to be thus favored are the saints of God 
who dwell in heaven. Transgression occurs 
in heaven ; earth is the place of atonement, 
and the flesh is the manner of regeneration, 
and redemption of transgressors. If the flesh 
of the earth is cut off*, the elect will suffer for 
means wherewith to punish transgressors. 
This view may seem far-fetched to the reader, 
but the condition of this earth is only to be 
reconciled with the omnipotence and goodness 



Earthy and the Millennium. 289 

of God by ascribing to it a penal and regene- 
rating nature. Revelation says that the dragon 
and his angels were cast out from heaven to 
earth, and that Adam vs^as driven out of Eden 
to till the ground. St. Peter said, "For if God 
spared not the angels of heaven that sinned^ 
but cast them down to hell, and delivered them 
into chains of darkness to be reserved unto 
]udgment," &c. (See 2 Pet. ii. and Rev. xii.) 
From these, it appears that the elect to be fa- 
vored by saving the flesh of earth are those of 
heaven, as the elect of earth might be saved 
(as those of heaven were) through obedience 
and regeneration unto everlasting life. 

Christ then again admonishes the people of 
false prophets who shall show great signs and 
wonders, so as to deceive, if it were possible, 
even the elect. He says, "I have told you be- 
fore" (that is, of false prophets). "Wherefore, 
if they shall say unto you. Behold, he is in the 
desert ; go not forth : Behold, he is in the se- 
cret chambers ; believe it not. For as the 
lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth 
even unto the west, so shall also the coming of 



290 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

the son of man be. For wheresoever the car- 
cass is, there will the eagles be gathered to- 
gether. Immediately after the tribulation of 
those days shall the sun be darkened, and the 
moon shall not give her ligh , and the stars 
shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the 
heavens shall be shaken." Now here we have 
a description of the events that must first qc- 
€ur before he makes his second advent ; for, 
ipark you, he has not re-appeared yet ; but the 
way is now prepared ready for him and his 
migels. The carcass is ready, for desire, pain, 
sin, and death, are abolished or suspendpd by 
these mighty forerunners of their coming. 

In the next verse he says, " And then shall 
appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven : 
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, 
and they shall see the Son of man coming 
in the clouds of heaven, with power and great 
glory." Again he says, ''Now learn a para- 
ble of the fig-tree : when his branch is yet ten- 
der, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that 
summer is nigh : so likewise when ye shall see 
all these things, know that it is near, even at 



Earthy and the Millennium, 291 

the doors." He then proceeds to affirm that 
^' this generation shall not pass till all these 
things be fulfilled"; that heaven and earth 
should pass away, but his words should not. 
The word ''generation," as used by him, was 
used in its general sense, and includes the 
races of men and animals, &c., of earth, and 
not a particular set of them. 

From this description, it is self-evident to 
all that Christ will not visit this earth till the 
way is prepared. This preparation is likened 
to a carcass, and Christ's and his saints' 
coining to that of eagles. What power, then, 
must the people of this earth look to as the 
proper one to prepare the way? From Christ's 
^^scription, and that of St. John in Revelation, 
which will be noticed presently, it must be a 
heavenly body more luminous than the sun, 
either from its size or proximity to the earth. 
God is not a being of projects and whims, but 
a firm and consistent Governor of the heavens. 
He does not govern to please the fancy of the 
degraded of earth, or excite their curiosity or 
fear, but to edify, instruct, and entertain. So 



292 A Fliilosopliy of Heaven^ 

when the earth is blessed with the millennium 
and the republication of truth, it will be by 
the exercise of His laws and goodness as or- 
dained from the foundation of the world. 

St. John speaks of the four winds being 
holden by four angels standing on the four 
corners of the earth, so that they blew not on 
the earth. Again John says, ''I saw a star 
fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him 
was given the key of the bottomless pit. And 
he opened the bottomless pit," &c. Here we 
have a positive scriptural assertion that the 
bottomless pit is to be opened by reason of the 
falling of a star from heaven to earth. By the 
falling or approach of this star, or celestial 
body, a light so luminous and resplendent 
may envelope and overspread the earth as to 
darken the sun, the moon may not give her 
light, and the stars so completely overshad- 
owed that it may be said they have fallen from 
heaven. What other power can the people of 
earth look for to shake the powers of the heav- 
ens as described by Christ? It must be a pow- 
erful celestial body possessing the exceeding 



Earth, and the Millennmm, 293 

brilliancy requisite to obscure the sun, moon, 
and stars ; and by its progress or flight through 
the heavens, in its orbit, their powers will be 
shaken ; not by violence, but its visit and 
presence among them will be graciously rec- 
ognized and approved by a bow in the nature 
of obeisance and welcome. No collision can 
take place, for smaller celestial bodies may 
bow themselves out of its way, if necessary, 
by the aid of the light of heaven ; or it may 
bow itself out of their way, as is proved by the 
eccentric courses of these visitors. 

These things must occur, and they will oc- 
cur gradually, before Christ makes his advent. 
They occur gradually, which he likens to the 
putting forth leaves on the tender branches of 
the fig-tree. The appearance of a celestial body 
would have a like resemblance. We may look 
for it in the east ; and it will be as plain as 
lightning in the east, and shine even to the 
west; that is, it will not be partial in its na- 
ture, but envelope the whole earth with light 
as brilliant as lightning itself. On its first 
appearance, it will envelope the earth with its 



294 A PMlosopliy of Heaven^ 

refulgent liglit by degrees, just as the lieats 
of spring cover the fig-tree with foliage. So 
pseudo- prophets need not and must not 
ever be consulted, or even listened to : the 
fact will be patent and powerfully visible to 
all. Xow this is what must be done before 
Christ appears with his saints, which will be 
in power and clouds of glory. 

jSTow let us examine the eflFects of this occur- 
rence. He says, ^' \Yhen ye shall see the 
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Dan- 
iel the prophet," &c., that the kings of the 
earth will tremble, and thrones will be cast 
down, and the people of the earth will mourn 
because of great tribulation, and the Ancient 
of days will sit — that is, truth reign omnipo- 
tent — for error is cast down and fled from the 
earth. The truth, the omnipotent truth, is em- 
blazoned in the heavens, and error is discard- 
ed. Christ says, '*Let them which be in Judea 
flee into the mountains'' — that means getting 
suitable situations to enjoy and observe the 
millennium, for the strife of earth is to be ban- 
ished, and with it pain, desire, sin, and death:. 



Earthy and the Millennium. 295 

''Let Mm wliicli is on the house-top not come 
down to take anything out of his house^' — 
for hunger and thirst have fled, and he will 
have no need of food or drink: '' Neither let 
him which is in the field return back to take 
his clothes" — because heat, cold, wet, &c., are 
all driven away, and he will have no need of 
them. And he even goes so far as to allude 
to females in a delicate situation, and those 
that give suck. All strife, pain, and genera- 
tion being suspended, of course parturition or 
births cannot occur ; hence their state during 
the millennium. These instances teach that 
profound peace must be caused on earth dur- 
ing the millennium. The wind will not even 
blow, a leaf will not be moved, nor a single 
cloud, nor mist or dust be seen ; but the whole 
heavens and earth must be enveloped with 
light, power, glory, and truth. Then look for 
the sign of Christ and his saints coming in 
power and great glory ; not a few angels with 
him, but clouds of them, as brilliant as the 
sun. Then the people of earth will see and 
hear the truth of the Gospel for themselves, 



296 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

and see whether it consists of metaphysical 
creeds and empty ceremonies, or whether reli- 
gion is a plain duty that all owe to God and 
their neighbor, let that neighbor be who or 
what creature it may. 

The description of the millennium so com- 
pletely resembles that of a celestial body in 
its orbit, first approaching our earth and then 
encompassing it with its light, &c., that it is 
quite reasonable to suppose it will occur and 
pass by Justin that manner. We will examine 
other scriptural authorities to corroborate this 
view. In the 7th chapter of Revelations, St. 
John says, ''And after these things [speaking 
of the opening of the seals] I saw four angels 
standing on the four corners of the earth, hold- 
ing the four winds of the earth, that the wind 
should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, 
nor on any tree." Now here is a state of the 
utmost peace described ; and in the preceding 
chapter he said, ''Tlie sun became as black as 
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as 
blood, and the stars of heaven fell unto the 
eartn." Then he mentions the four angels 



Earthy and the Millennium, 297 

holding the four winds, and then says, '' And 
I saw another angel ascending from the east, 
having the seal of the living God." This is, 
without controversy, Christ and his second ad- 
vent, for the description here and in Matthew 
correspond too closely to admit of doubt. 

In the 9th chapter of Revelations, St. John 
says, "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw 
a star fall from heaven unto earth, and to him 
was given the key of the bottomless pit. And 
he opened the bottomless pit ; and there arose 
a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great 
furnace ; and the sun and the air were dark- 
ened by reason of the smoke of the pit." The 
word "star" occurs in this description, which 
has direct allusion to the millennium. Here 
a star is represented as falling to earth, which 
may mean tlie passage of the star in its orbit. 
It had the key of the bottomless pit ; that is, 
power over the flesh and strife of the earth. 
It could, by the action of its light, banish the 
wants, pain, desire, strife, and death from the 
earth, and thus bind Satan. The smoke rep- 
resents sin, &c., &c., as disappearing; and the 
20 



298 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

darkening of the sun may be attributed to its 
resplendent light. 

The remainder of the chapter probably has 
reference to events that shall occur after the 
millennium. St. John then speaks of ''mighty 
angels," which clearly proves that there are 
grades of beings in heaven as well as earth. 

In the 20tli chapter of Revelations, St. John 
again takes up this subject and speaks as fol- 
lows : '' And I saw an angel come down from 
heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit 
and a great chain in his hand. And he laid 
hold on the dragon, that old serpent which is 
the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thou- 
sand years, and cast him into the bottomless 
pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, 
that he should deceive the nations no more, 
till the thousand years should be fulfilled : 
and after that he must be loosed a little sea- 
son." The '^ key of the bottomless pit " here 
mentioned signifies power over the flesh and 
sin of this world ; the chain also represents 
power ; the laying hold and binding the drag- 
on signifies the subduing the powers of this 



Earthy and the Millennium. 299 

earth ; and the casting into the bottomless pit 
represents the banishment of sin, desire, want, 
hunger, thirst, pam, death, &c. This is the 
preparation for Christ's advent. Then St. John 
goes on to speak of the thrones and souls of 
martyrs, and those that had not worshipped 
the beast — meaning the flesh of earth, or self- 
worship — and that they lived and reigned with 
Christ a thousand years, '' But the rest of the 
dead," he says, "lived not again till the thou- 
sand years were finished. This is the first 
resurrection" — that is, the first appearance of 
our departed friends on earth since their car- 
nal death. They come not from the grave, but, 
as Christ told the apostles, with him from heav- 
en, in power and great glory. This idea that 
some people entertain, that the souls of men 
slumber in the grave for a specific judgment- 
day, is preposterous, and the text here proves 
it so ; and so does Christ's remark to the thief 
on the cross, for he was to go and be in para- 
dise with him that day, and not to the grave. 
The day of judgment is general, and includes 
all time, and is the day of death to each one. 



300 A FhilosopJiy of Heamn^ 

St. Joliii says, ''the rest of tlie dead lived 
not again till the thousand years were finish- 
ed." The question here presents itself, who 
are ''the rest of the dead that lived not again?" 
They evidently mean the inhabitants of this 
earth who shall witness the millennial reign. 
They are spiritually dead, and must suffer car- 
nal death and be regenerated before they can 
enjoy the life and glory of the saints. As 
strife, the mystery of earth, is overcome by 
the millennium, death cannot ensue ; so they 
must wait for their death and regeneration till 
the thousand years here spoken of be finished. 
He says, " Blessed and holy is he that hath 
part in the first resurrection : on such the 
second death hath no power, but they shall be 
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign 
with him a thousand years." 

After this Satan is to be loosed out of his 
prison, " and shall go out to deceive the na- 
tions which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them togeth- 
er to battle: the number of whom is as the 
sand of the sea." Here we have positive assur- 



Earthy and the Millennium. 801 

ance tliat tlie millennium is not perpetual, but 
of a transitory nature, such as would be pro- 
duced by tlie passage of a heavenly body in its 
orbit. As to the length of time that this reign 
will occupy, it is not by any means probable 
that it will be a thousand j^ears. A tliousand 
years and a day are equivalent terms in pro- 
phetic language. The better opinion would 
seem to be that it would not last suflSlciently 
long to injure the people or the vegetation of 
earth ; for what would injure vegetation would 
injure the inhabitants of earth. God has the 
creatures of earth in process of regeneration, 
and intends to instruct and regenerate the 
whole of them in due time, and would not be 
likely to do any act that w^ould frustrate His 
own designs. 

We have now taken a view of the approach 
and continuance of the millennium^ and will 
proceed to consider the end and results of it. 
If tlie theory advanced is correct, the millen- 
nium will pass by in like gradual manner as 
it came; the celestial visitor will speed by on 
its way through its orbit, and as it leaves our 



302 A Philosophy of Heaven. 

horizon its influence will be gradually relax- 
ed ; the illumination caused by its approach 
and proximity will grow less resplendent, till 
at length it will have attained such a great 
distance from the earth and our solar system 
that its power and influence will be no longer 
overwhelming. The rays of the sun will then 
penetrate our atmosphere and again set the 
strife of the earth in motion; the moon will 
then give her light, and the stars seem to re- 
gain their places ; and as the visitor speeds 
clear away, the world will wake up to a vivid 
sense of their desolate and forlorn condition. 
The Devil or Satan will again be loosed on 
earth, and desire, pain, hunger thirst, disease, 
and death, again triumphantly reign. Man- 
kind again see the necessity of labor to sup- 
ply their wants, hence they proceed to their 
accustomed occupations, and the world moves 
on as usual. But they now have the light of 
divine truth, for God's will has been manifest- 
ed, and His promises to mankind have been 
renewed. The resurrection of the dead to an 
eternal heaven, and to the enjoyment of re- 



Earthy and the Millennium, 303 

wards according to their works, have been 
powerfully manifested to both small and great. 
This manifestation has been so brilliant that 
all rational and irrational creatures of earth 
have witnessed it. So grand has the illumina- 
tion been, that even the insects of the soil and 
the corals of the sea became affected by it, 
and were made witnesses of the event. 

Mankind will largely profit by this event, 
and will multiply and become very numerous 
on earth in the course of time. The first few 
generations will be true believers in this mil- 
lennium and will be strict observers of truth ; 
but as time progresses succeeding generations 
will become skeptical, and finally in the great 
lapse of time the event will be discredited, 
and mankind will regard it as a fable or fabri- 
cation of religious zealots, or a pagan super- 
stition. Science will advance by means of 
this celestial visitation, and it is to be hoped 
that discoveries will be made whereby man 
may greatly improve his condition both on 
earth and in eternity. 

Similar events have, without the least doubt, 



304 A PhilosojyTf- y of Heaven^ 

heretofore occurred, and bv sucli means tlie 
ancients derived their knowledge of the resur- 
rection of the dead, and also of heaven. The 
fallen and forlorn condirion of the world is 
apparent withont the aid of revelation, but the 
manner of this fall, the cause and the manner 
of the creation of the world has been revealed 
by former millenniums. These periods, be- 
cause of the barrenness of language and the 
backward state of science, are quite imper- 
fectly recorded by the ancients; but still 
enough is recx^rded to satisfy any reasonable 
mind that will investigate the subject, that 
millennial reigns have formerly occuiTed. 
How much more reasonable and satisfactory 
is this opinion of revelation than the partial 
modes described by Moses 1 

Moses gives a narrative of an interview with 
God on Mt. Sinai in the 19rh chapter of Exo- 
dus, but his account is merely a figiu^ative de- 
scription of some former event, and is, withal, 
blended with some of the superstitions of that 
age ; but in his description we liave the main 
features of the millennium. He savs, ^'Mount 



Earthy and the Millennium. 305 

Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the 
Lord descended upon it in fire." This fire can 
only represent a former millennial illumina- 
tion, for it is highly improbable that God 
would choose such a destructive and vicious 
element in whicTi to make His appearance on 
earth ; and besides, He is not so partial as to 
give a few people of earth such blessings to 
the exclusion of others. God, in His visita- 
tions, is just to all, even to the worms of the 
dust. Moses could not have gone upon the 
mount if it was on fire, as some people imag- 
ine. The truth of this matter is, Moses had 
an account, though very imperfect, of a former 
millennium, and in the barrenness of the lan- 
guage at his command he gave us the best 
narrative of it he could. He went so far as to 
teach that God was a '' consuming fire"; not 
that he, or any one else, had ever seen Him — 
for Christ teaches diff'erently — but because he 
had received quite authentic accounts from 
the antediluvians who witnessed and handed 
down by tradition accounts of such millennial 
reigns. We are not, however, to censure or to 



306 A Philosophy of Heaven^ 

blame Moses for Ms imperfect descriptions, or 
Ms figures of speech, nor even for interpolating 
some of the superstitions of that time ; because 
he was himself a man, and therefore not per- 
fect ; neither was his language or his memory. 
Without doubt he did the best he could to en- 
lighten mankind. His laws were mostly just, 
and should even be obeyed at this day as di- 
vine truths, except those that were pointedly 
condemned by Christ, and are also to be con- 
demned by reason. Such were never received 
from God, but are the work of men. God's 
word and truth is sanctioned by justice and 
reason; and whatever conflicts with these, 
either in the Bible or elsewhere, is of earth, 
and not to be believed or practised. 

Moses was inclined to, and did give man- 
kind the best record in his power of the know- 
ledge the antediluvians possessed concerning 
God and His works and laws. Christ gave 
his apostles as plain a description of Ms sec- 
ond advent as he could without incurring the 
risk of being called a liar and impostor. If in 
that day he had told the apostles and the 



Earthy and the Millennmm, 307 

world that the way would be prepared for his 
second advent by a comet, or heavenly body, 
as large perhaps as a million of such earths as 
this, and more luminous than the sun, he would 
have been disbelieved. He likened the king- 
dom of God to a grain of mustard-seed, which 
when planted grew and waied a great tree, so 
large that the fowls of the air lodged in its 
branches. This decisively proves, if proof was 
needed, that heaven embraces the whole starry 
creation. It also proves that the heavens are 
productive powers, and are gaining in volume 
and power. Hence I have before affirmed that 
the light of heaven exerts a productive influ- 
ence, and that matter or material spheres, as 
planets, &c., are increasing and growing larger. 
Christ also likened the kingdom of God to 
leaven hid in meal till the whole was leavened. 
(See these similitudes as recorded in tlie IStli 
chapter of St. Luke's Gospel.) Now if he had 
told his disciples and apostles that the light 
emanating from the luminaries of heaven was 
this leaven, and that it was powerful enough 
to drive off* at a proper distance from them and 



308 A PMlosopJiy of Heaven^ 

float worlds like this ; and not only this, but 
to drive them in their orbits around them and 
around each other, and to cause them to re- 
volve on their own axes, causing daj^- and night, 
he would have been reckoned a maniac or an 
impostor. So he contented himself by ex- 
plaining this matter just as he did, well know- 
ing that his meaning would be unfolded by 
science and investigation. The leaven in the 
meal is clearly typical of the light of heaven, 
which raises and sustains the heavens and 
spreads them out before our eyes : and if any 
further proof were needed of Christ's divinity, 
mankind have it in the truth of my discovery 
and philosophy. Science will now prove his 
divinity, and all skepticism and doubt as to 
the resurrection of the dead, as taught by him, 
forever banished. 

If I am correct in affirming that the millen- 
nium will occur by the passage of some celes- 
tial body in its orbit, it must come, as comets 
do, from another solar system than our own, 
or any in our horizon even. I assert that our 
solar system is an inferior one, and that 



Earthy and the Millennium, 309 

another and another system crowns it ; and 
that all these systems are composed of light 
and substances of their own peculiar kind. 
They yield and bring forth after their kind 
just as pictured in the objects here of earth. 
I assert also that there is one grand system — 
or third heaven, if you please, spoken of by 
St. Paul — that crowns the whole. The light of 
each of these systems or suns is different, but 
of the precise quality required to sustain and 
drive the planets of that system ; and so of all 
the suns or solar systems of the Universe. 
The light of one would not probably drive the 
planets of another. Hence we see comets or 
celestial bodies passing through our own and 
through other systems. They seem to be in- 
dependent, in some measure, of any system 
known to us, and are so ; and are doubtless 
driven by suns, situated in the far-distant 
heavens, which are and must forever remain 
unknown to mankind. By one of these dis- 
tant suns, the celestial body that is to prepare 
the way of the millennium must be driven in 
its orbit. Near the centre of this svstem, with- 



310 A FhilosopJiy of Heaven^ &c. 

out doubt, is the abode of God, and perhaps 
of Christ and his elect. 

This event, thougli an astronomical one^ 
may be distant; — it may be at our doors. 
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man^ || 

no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father 
only" — so says Christ in his description of it; 
and this should silence false prophets forever^ 
for, without controversy, the event will be an 
astronomical one, and is not the subject of 
prophecy. ''Watch therefore; for ye know 
not at what hour your Lord doth come." 

THE END. 



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